A reason to live
by spacing-out-a-lot
Summary: She was watching her death gaining ground with a small smile playing on her lips. It didn't matter if she died. She saved them and that's everything she ever wanted. She slowly closed her eyes, preparing for the hit. But it didn't come. She quickly opened them and tears started falling as she watched her best friend grinning down at her, shielding her with his life.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first story so please excuse any mistakes. I am really happy I finally had the guts to write this. Hope you'll like it ^^**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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_The deadly blow was coming closer. She was breathing really hard as she watched helplessly her death gaining speed. She was completely out of energy, falling to her knees. She fought with all she had and she succeeded. His last attack was as deadly for him as it was for her. She was pleased that as long as she defeated him also, she had no regrets. She protected Natsu, who was now lying unconscious on the ground.__She saw the man collapsing on the ground, unconscious or probably dead.__She smiled as she watched the green energy ball approaching her at an incredible speed. She closed her eyes and prepared for the hit._

_But she felt nothing. She quickly opened her eyes. In front of her was the person she least expected to see. She thought he was still unconscious. The blow he took earlier should've kept him in bed, unconscious for the following days. His pink hair had reflections of green, his arms were in front of his body, trying but with no effect to keep the ball of energy away. Tears started running down her face without her realizing._

_"Natsu!" she cried. He threw her one last grin and whispered something that'd hunt her forever. The ball finally got past his arms and the moment it touched him, a green flash erupted all around._

_It all happened so quickly, so soon, he stepped in front of her, grinned and then he was gone. She had no time to act or to stop him. She was thrown away by the impact of the blow. She landed on her back, her eyes closed tight and her fists clenched. Few seconds passed until she remembered what happened. She got on her feet and went back. There, in the middle of a crater was the man who caused all of this, blown away and seriously injured by his own attack, clearly dead. She continued to search for the dragon-slayer around. If that man's body was still there, maybe the boy was also there. She spent hours searching for him, her mind simply not wanting to accept the idea of him not being there._

_Few hours later, she was found unconscious on the ground by Erza and Gray. She fell while searching for him, and due to her exhaustion, she could not get up again._

Lucy Heartfilia was in her room, looking straight at the white wall in front of her. Millions of thoughts raced through her mind, millions of images appeared in front of her eyes. Millions of scenes she never took notice of before were there now, possessing her mind. How come she never noticed? How come, suddenly, it is all so new and blurry? How come she is surprised by this when she demanded of herself long time ago to always be strong and never let things surprise her.

Her hands were slowly making their way to her head, only that in a few minutes, she was curled up on her bed, with her knees under her chin and her arms in her hair, with her gaze fixing the wall. How could she let this happen? Wasn't it her only dream to get into Fairy Tail, to become a better mage, to find a place where she will feel as home once again? And hasn't she found everything she wished for? Don't her spirits love her that much they would sacrifice themselves for her? Aren't the members of Fairy Tail her family, her nakama? Hasn't she found friends so good she would give her life for them with no hesitation? But after him doing that, did she really carry out everything she wanted?

It was because of him. He who always made her smile even in her hardest times. He who was always there to save her when she called. He who would never give up on his friends. He, who, after all they've been through, would still be standing strong, with his grin up and his gaze fixed, ready to jump head on for the people he cared about. She always thought of him as a friend. Her dearest friend. A person who she'd yell at for crashing at her place uninvited all the time, and secretly, be glad he did. And still, after the last mission, everything changed. She now thought of him so highly.

Tears were running down her face. Tears she kept inside for the past three days. Tears she wished would never have to drop. Why did it have to be him and not her?

Natsu Dragneel. The dragon-slayer whose faith changed in a mere second, when he decided to save Lucy one last time and take the deadly blow intended for her. He changed his faith and also changed hers. He changed everything with just one step. And to pile it all up, his last words were for her. Words she thought she'd never hear from his lips. Words that left a scar. Words only she heard and words she'll never forget. With one last breath, her friend, her team-mate, her family, her nakama whispered "…I will always protect my loved ones. That's what I always told you, right Lucy? It is funny. I never actually thought I'll do it until you...". And with a last grin, he was blown away.

He gave his life for her. He chose death to save his nakama. He will always be remembered as a hero. A hero she'll always cherish.

A knock on her door woke her up from her thoughts. She quickly removed her tears, but paying no real attention to this action, as the opinion of the visitor did not concern her. She slowly made her way to the door, thinking what story she should tell Gray, Erza or Levy, if it was them who were knocking. Or maybe it was Master. The past two days, he came so often at her place, simply to stay there with her and both stare together at the walls. So many people of the guild visited her. She did feel horrible but it annoyed her that they all thought she felt the worst of them all. She didn't know Natsu for that long. He had friends in the guild, family who knew him since he was little, and still they all thought she felt the worst. Master told her it may be because it was her life he gave his for. But she was sure he, as everybody, wasn't completely sincere with her.

Another knock at the door. Couldn't they just wait a little? She didn't come up with the story yet.

When her hand touched the door knob, she hesitated. She did not know why but she didn't want to answer the door. A quick thought raced through her mind. '...What if it is Natsu at the other side of the door...?' That thought made her open the door so large and quickly she completely surprised the person on the other side. She searched for the spiky pink hair but only found white. '.. It isn't Natsu. Of course it isn't Natsu. He would never knock. He would just burst in... .' She smiled at the thought, surprising the other person even more as she thought the smile was for her.

When Lucy finally concentrated on the person in front of her, any sign of smile disappeared.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in a harsh voice. The girl in front of her trembled. Lucy could see her blue eyes were almost red; her white short hair was falling on her face.

'She also cried. She also misses him...' Lucy thought. Her coldness to the girl suddenly disappeared. She was suffering as everybody did; she missed the dragon-slayer as much as she did

The girl looked around to see if it was anyone listening to them. When she was finally convinced the two of them were alone she walked inside Lucy's' apartment.

Lucy closed the door after her, using all her might to stop herself from yelling at the girl for not asking permission to come in. Another smile rose on her lips. This is the Lucy she knew. Too bad that Lucy was probably lost forever.

She turned around, her eyes searching for the white-haired mage.

She saw her standing near the window, with her arms crossed, throwing daggers with her eyes all around the room. Her attitude from back at the door changed considerably. That's how the girl has always been. She would put on a mask and smile and be all innocent around everybody but when she was alone with someone she didn't like, her mask simply broke, revealing her true self.

Regretting immediately that she felt sorry for the girl few minutes before, Lucy asked in a harsh tone once again.

"What are you doing here?"

The girl finally looked Lucy in the eyes. All Lucy could see was hatred. Hatred towards her.

"Master sent me here. He told me to tell you Natsu's burial is today in a few hours..."

"... They found the body...?" Lucy whispered, gasping in horror at the thought, all the hopes she never thought were there crumbling to pieces.

"Master said he couldn't come himself and tell you because he has a lot to arrange so he asked me, as I was lucky enough to be at the guild that moment" she continued to say what she was saying, as if Lucy never interrupted her. After the girl stopped, silence surrounded them.

Lucy was all lost in thoughts. Natsu was dead. He really was. They found his body. She realized she was actually hoping he wasn't dead. 'Natsu is strong' she used to think 'He won't die so easily'. But now he was gone...

"No" the white-haired mage finally said. Seeing the questioning look on Lucy's face, she continued. "No, they didn't find his body".

Hopes. Hopes were invading Lucy once again. They didn't find the body. He may still be alive. But then again, her hopes failed her as she realized the true meaning behind the girls' answer.

"So... they are giving up..?" Lucy whispered again, feeling all her body numb from shock. The people Natsu loved with all his might gave up on him so easily?

"They are giving up on him?!" She yelled this time.

But the girl wasn't paying any attention to Lucy anymore. She walked quickly to a shelf back in the corner of the room. Lucy waited for her to say anything, but the girl simply stood there still.

Lucy walked next to her. She realized why the girl stood so still. She was looking at a photo. A photo Lucy forgot all about as Happy probably hid it in one of the many times he came here. It was a photo taken in their first mission as a team Lucy-Erza-Gray-Natsu-Happy. A photo Erza insisted on taking and, at that time, they were too afraid to not do what Erza said. The 5 of them were in the photo: Erza was in the right of the photo, the scarlet-haired mage looking dangerous even when she smiled, her armour shinning in the bright sun, Gray was under one of Erza's arms, mimicking a smile while he looked scared as if Erza would crush him any moment, he of course, being shirtless, next to Gray was Lucy, with her blonde hair blown away by the wind, laughing from all her heart at Natsu and Gray who pretended to like each other for Erza's sake, and holding Lucy with one arm was Natsu, his usual grin lighted up his dark eyes, while his other hand was behind his head, and in front of them all was Happy, Natsu's exceed, who was smiling.

Both of the girls' eyes were stuck on the picture. Lucy, with some effort, moved her gaze on the girl next to her; whose fists were clenched and her eyes were full of tears.

"Lisanna..." Lucy stretched out her hand to put it on the girl's head but before she could touch her, Lisanna brutally moved away, throwing daggers with her eyes at Lucy.

Lucy took her hand away. She was calm. Her merciful part felt pity once again for the white-haired mage. Another mistake. And the same one too.

Lisanna brushed off her tears with a move and walked away from Lucy, heading for the door. She suddenly stopped and turned around.

"You know, Lucy..." The venom in her voice when she said Lucy's name was so clear it made Lucy's hand unconsciously move and grab her keys. "Do you know what he told me the day he left in that cursed mission?!" She yelled. She continued anyway, giving no chance Lucy to guess. "He told me to stay safe. He told me I am one of his precious people. He told me to wait for him. He told me that when he comes back he has to ask me something... Can you guess what he wanted to ask me..? Finally, he was about to..." She whispered and looked Lucy in the eyes. Every word Lisanna said hurt Lucy like a dagger in the heart. He told Lisanna all those things right before giving his life to save the girl he said he loves with his last breath. Lucy was shaking. She put her arms around herself, wanting to cry once again. So what he told her wasn't true. He just said it to comfort her for his loss. He never meant to imply anything with that. Just that she was his nakama and that he loved his nakama. But he told Lisanna she is one of his precious people too. He almost said the same things to both of them. The only thing Lisanna had and Lucy hadn't was the promise of a question. A question which most probably would be about Lisanna's feelings for him.

Unaware of the internal struggle Lucy was bearing, Lisanna continued yelling "He was about to confess! But then he left with _you_ in that horrid mission. He loves his nakama. You know that. He'd do anything for them. And _you_! It is all your fault! If you weren't so weak and would've defended yourself he wouldn't have had to jump in front of your stupid self! He wouldn't be dead now. He would be here. With me! I hate you...!" She yelled, while crying. Lucy just stood there, facing the floor, with her arms around her waist. She was right and she knew it. She just couldn't bear to admit. Because admitting would only mean that Lisanna won, that she meant nothing for the dragon-slayer, that his last words were words he would've told to anybody he cared for.

Lisanna was clearly waiting for a response. As she got none, she turned around and stormed off while saying with an equal tone "We are all meeting at the guild in an hour".

Lucy didn't move an inch. She was staying in the middle of the room, right where Lisanna left her, with her eyes fixed on the floor. She was sure now. Lisanna was right. It was all her fault. If she hadn't been so weak... She wasn't a good nakama. A nakama was somebody you'd give your life for. Natsu was her nakama. She shouldn't have let him die for her. It was all her fault...

As if he was listening to her thoughts, her eyes suddenly fell on the photo on the shelf. She stood there still, looking at the happy Natsu, at his large grin she'll never see again. He'll never be able to find Igneel, his dragon father. He'll never be able to carry out his dreams. He'll never be able to ask everybody to fight him. He'll never be able to fight and surpass the person he admires most: Gildarts.

Her hand made its way to her face, where she brushed off her tears. She straightened up, never for once taking her eyes off the photo. The difference from few seconds ago was that her eyes were now full of determination. She was guilty of Natsu's death. She didn't deny that. It all happened because she was weak. She'll change that. She'll train and become stronger. She'll live her life to the fullest, dedicating every moment of it to Natsu. But most of all, she won't give up on him. Never. He'll be her reason to live.

She smiled at her thoughts, feeling a lot better now that she somehow was going to pay her debts to the dragon-slayer. Just a small insignificant part of her debts. She'll never be able to fully be free from what Natsu did for her.

Looking at the clock on the wall and seeing she only had a few more minutes until she'll have to leave for the guild, she quickly put on a black dress.

Looking in the mirror, she felt unsure. She shouldn't wear black. Black meant she accepted his death. But she couldn't wear anything else as it would mean she disrespected the feelings of all the others and Natsu himself. She finally decided and put on a red headband. Red which symbolized Natsu's fire. Fire that in her heart, was still burning.

She put her keys in one of her pockets, then changed her mind and took them out again.

"Open gate to the Leo!" She demanded. A flash of white and Loki was standing in front of her, dressed all in black, but with a red tie, matching Lucy's idea. His hair was falling on his face, covering his glasses.

"Lucy..." He whispered and immediately hugged her.

Lucy was taken by surprise and was already on her way to push him away when she hugged him back. She was even more surprised by her action than him. 'Looks like I needed a hug after all...' she thought.

"Thought you would also want to take part..." She smiled at the spirit, after they separated from their hug.

"Thank you." He told her. He took her arm and they together made their way to the guild.

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**A/N: Uhmm well this is it. I really hope you guys liked it. And even if you didn't I would, like, enormously appreciate if you'd review. Good or bad, they'll help me write better in the future. Thanks for reading it anyway ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I am very happy you guys liked it. It makes me sooooo cheerful. And I really have to thank you. You gave me amazing advices, which actually helped and I took notice of. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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The air was full of birds chirping while sounds of children laughing echoed all the way from the crowded streets of Magnolia. There was a spring festival going on, with loud music and countless coloured tables on the streets.

The trees were all blossomed and there was no sign of any cloud on the clear blue sky. Everything looked peaceful, like nothing could go wrong. Still, something was missing. The villagers felt the sad aura coming from the magic guild in their town. Usually, if they ever looked at the imposing building, they felt happy as if the walls of the building seemed to emanate joy and carefree. But today, even though the guild shinned in the bright sun, with its flags blown by the wind, it looked dark and quiet, no yells nor sounds of fights echoed through the walls. Even though they didn't know it, the villagers felt the loss of the dragon-slayer as much as the guild did.

Inside the guild, things were even darker than they looked outside. Everybody was silent, waiting for the few more that were to come.

Master stood at the bar, his usually coloured, not matching clothes were now black and sober, throwing long shadows on his already old face. He was looking around his beloved guild, looking at how the loss of one of his kids affected each and every one of them, even himself a lot. Mirajane was behind him, dressed all in black, with her white hair falling in cascades on her back. She was putting some glasses back to their place, trying to keep herself busy and not think too much at how this day resembled so much the day when her sister Lisanna was the one missing and buried for her nakama gave up searching for her. But team Natsu found her and brought her back two years later from another parallel universe. Mirajane wished so much Natsu will come back home unscratched, just as her little sister did. She looked around at the guild members, each and every one of them standing alone at a table. Cana was not drinking, Levy was sitting all by herself in a corner looking at a book in front of her, and Juuvia was with Gray near the mission board, both silent and looking in the distance. She sighted, and put another glass back to its place.

Laxus was upstairs at the s-class level of the building, looking from the balcony down at the guild he grew to love, feeling the absence of the fire dragon-slayer like a chilly breeze in a cold day. He thought about the many times he ignored the boy when he demanded a fight, thinking he's not worth his time. Now he felt such a deep respect for the fire mage, due to the way he ended his life.

In a corner of the room was Erza, her scarlet hair falling on a black slim dress she thought she'll never have to wear again. In front of her, on the table, was a piece of her favourite cake, cake she hasn't even touched one bit. She was probably one of the persons who missed Natsu the most. She always knew he and Gray were pretending to like each other for her sake but she appreciated it so much she never told them. Natsu was also the one who saved her from the tower of heaven, who helped her with Jellal, who fought for her with all his might, who came at the magic council dressed as her so she would be set free. She smiled at all the memories she had with the fire dragon-slayer.

The doors of the guild opened and in walked Lucy together with her spirit, Loki. Everybody raised their heads and looked at the girl they felt the most sorry for. Natsu has told them something about her she did not know. Something they managed to get out of him in a night when Cana provoked him to a drinking contest. He did not know he told them so they kept it a secret from both Lucy and Natsu. But the mission came and so the only person who could've told Lucy about that night died. Everybody who knew about the secret swore to never tell it to anybody else.

Lucy, seeing everybody was staring at her, thought that everybody was blaming her for Natsu's death in their minds. She lowered her head and walked to an empty table. There she sat in front of Loki, looking down at her hands.

She wasn't the last one to come, there were still more so they still had to wait.

Near Lucy, on one of the chairs, something moved. She gasped and pulled the chair from under the table. On the chair, covered by the table-cloth was a small unusual looking blue cat, Happy, Natsu's exceed.

From all the members of the guild, Happy knew Natsu the best. Natsu found Happy when he was still an egg and they were best friends since then. You would never ever see one without the other. They were inseparable and everybody loved it that way. Happy couldn't imagine life without Natsu. And now, he had to endure what he thought he'll never have to.

Lucy grabbed the little cat's hand and pulled him into a tight hug. Happy simply stood there, like a puppet in Lucy's arms.

Suddenly he whispered, only for the girl to hear. "He is not dead. I would've felt it"

"I... I don't know what to say. He is either dead or badly injured. If he was alive and fine, I... Shouldn't he be here already? At his home?" Lucy replied, feeling certain of her words. Natsu would've come home in a second. And knowing Natsu, he would have to be so badly injured crawling would really be out of the question. But as he was nowhere to be found, she really could not put her finger on what happened.

Happy sat there on her lap for the following minutes, as they watched the other guild members walk in. None of them wore anything than black.

Lucy found it funny how the loud no.1 guild in Fiore became so silent and depressed. How the death of one of its members, their loudest member, transformed them in those sad puppets.

"He considered them all his nakama. But they abandoned him so quickly. So little time passed and they already call him dead." Happy murmured.

Lucy wasn't at all surprised the blue cat thought that. She believed each and every one of them thought that. She was sure Gray, Erza and even Lisanna wouldn't give up on him so easily.

"They still love him Happy. They love and miss him so much it hurts them. And it's easier to pretend he's gone. It pains them less".

When the last guild member finally arrived, master cleared his throat and told them to follow him. One after another, they followed Makarov. They walked past the happy villagers, who were dancing and laughing in the centre of Magnolia. But the moment they saw the long crowd of black fairies, each and every one of them stopped and lowered their heads, in respect for the member they have lost. Little did they knew the one gone was actually the one they loved and hated most, in equal measure, the one who destroyed their shops and restaurants because of his easily firing up attitude but also the one who would help them all if in need, who would make their kids laugh with his little fire tricks and the one who they grew to love ever since he was a kid.

Makarov led them to a little park, a little park in the centre of which was a great big cherry tree. The tree's branches gave everyone the impression its branches were racing to the clouds. It had so many flowers it eclipsed all the other trees in the park. Around the tree, on the ground, was a pink carpet of petals that fell from their home.

Lucy raised her head at the sight of the cherry tree. It brought back a memory of Natsu she forgot. She came here once, at his demand, thinking he might confess. She was scared and afraid she won't find her words, that she won't be able to explain her feelings to him, because at that time, she was unsure how she felt. But she worried for nothing. He asked her to come for a silly reason. A silly reason that made Natsu do something without precedent. It was the first time in Lucy's' life she ever saw him blush. They spent that night together under the great oak, searching for embarrassing buried pictures of the guild members. And even though they got all dirty and after a few hours of digging, they were too exhausted to even move, they laughed and had a great time together.

Master stopped right under the tree. There was a grey stone placed there. It had pink petals all around it. On it, written with dark red letters, it read "Here lays the hero who always placed his nakama first. A great friend, a courageous team-mate and a fearful enemy. Rest in peace fire dragon-slayer, Natsu Dragneel".

Next to the stone was a small portrait of a smiling Natsu.

People started coming and placing flowers in front of the stone, looking at the portrait and whispering some words. Lucy watched as more and more of the guild members backed away to make space for the few remaining.

Gray went next and placed his flower. He didn't have marks of tears on his face, but Lucy was sure the loss of his best friend but also worst enemy pained him a lot.

"I..." He said in a high voice. Everybody was looking at him, with their minds somewhere else, but hearing him talk so loud made them all turn around and listen to him. Gray didn't realize he was watched and listened to so he continued to talk.

"Fire ass. You let that simple blow finish you? I thought you were the strongest. Or at least that's what you always told me". At this point he was smiling, but his eyes weren't reflecting the happiness in his voice. "We never had the chance to have a proper fight. A fight where I could kick your ass of course. If you could listen to all this, you'd probably mimic a disgusted face and tell me to stop saying lies. Well, this is the last lie you'll ever hear from me, Natsu. You were my friend until the end. You stupid dumbass, _why_ did you die?" His fists were clenched as he gritted his teeth. He was trembling.

Suddenly it started to rain. Where there were no clouds few minutes ago, now the sky was grey. The rain poured so hard everybody was soaking wet in a few minutes. Everybody turned at the water mage, at Juuvia, knowing she could not cry with her eyes but only with the sky. She was staying in the back, looking with sadness at Gray. She picked up her flower, went to the grave and bent to put it down. She stood up, picked Gray's hand and made her way back to her seat, dragging Gray after her.

Some of the guild members were surprised at the blue-haired mage who said nothing. But when everybody turned their attention back at the grave, they saw the rain was falling everywhere besides there. There, in the middle of the dark pouring rain, was a ray of pale sun, lighting a little circle of green grass that surrounded the stone. It created a very unusual sight, but it made them think of Natsu, of how he was burning with happiness even in the darkest of times. These were Juuvia's words for Natsu.

After Juuvia and Gray went back, Wendy, Gajeel, Carla and Pantherlily approached the stone. They all put their flowers down. Wendy was crying so hard it made everybody teary. Natsu was like a bigger brother for her. She was hugging on Gajeel, she couldn't speak due to her constantly falling tears. Gajeel looked stiff and out-of-place, he wasn't used to these kinds of emotions.

"You were a brave dragon-slayer. A courageous and powerful mage. You were heroic till the end. And even if it pains me to say, if we would have ever fought, I am not sure who would've won. You were for Wendy a bigger brother, a person she looked up too. I admire you for who you were and what you did. Rest in peace."

He turned around and walked back to where he stood before, with Wendy still clinging on him.

The three white-haired brothers came next, Elfman trying to stay strong for his sisters that cried on his shoulders. Mirajane went first, putting her flower on the pile and backing away, like the thought of the grave scared her. She lowered her head and looked down at her hands, while whispering "Thank you for bringing back my sister. It was a pleasure to know you Natsu..." She went back next to Lisanna and hugged the crying girl.

Elfman approached the grave with his head high, looking straight at the stone. He placed his flower and said in a respectful voice "You have died in an honourable way Natsu. A way that would truly fit a man. I am proud to be called your friend".

Lisanna came right after her brother, her arms around her waist, her sobs shaking her and everybody up. She more dropped than placed her flower, and then fell to her knees. Everybody was silent. They knew Lisanna cared for Natsu a lot. Lucy knew how much.

"Natsu I..." She started but the sobs wouldn't let her. She spent a few minutes and tried to calm herself down. "I never told you, wishing you would be the first to say it. Since we were kids, we were inseparable. We were always together. Wherever there was Natsu, there was me right behind. But then I disappeared and ended up in Edolas. There I found another Fairy Tail. You were all there but none of you was the same as on Earth. I tried to befriend that Natsu, but he was nothing like you. I lived for two years there, when the Earth Natsu suddenly appeared. I hid for the sake of my family on Edolas but I missed you so much. When I was sucked down on Earth together with all the magical beings, I felt sad but also happy, happy that I will be with you once again. But you had to do a heroic act, didn't you? And now you're gone." She looked like she wanted to say more but her tears were in the way. Mirajane came and took her sister back to their seats, leaving only five more people to come.

Erza made her way to the stone. It was finally her turn.

Rain poured down her black dress, her red hair falling around her face. She looked fierce, her fists clenched, no mark of tears on her face. She let her flower fall and whispered something only for her. Something nobody heard. She then turned around and went back to her seat. Nothing changed, she looked exactly the same, and still Lucy saw the pain in her eyes.

Loki made a few steps, looked back at Lucy then continued. He stopped and dropped the flower then said, in a calm voice, but with a very respectful tone "I knew Natsu for a very long time. He has always been an idiot. Loud and annoying, but when it came for his friends he would stop to nothing. Because that much his friends meant to him. I am happy that you once called me your friend". He smiled and went back, where Lucy was just getting up. She made a few steps and stopped far from the grave. She looked down at the ground, her fingers playing with the little white flower.

"I... On the way here I thought of so many things to say when it'll finally be my turn. So many happy memories that I owe to you. But now that I am finally here, I only have two words to say." She stopped, like she wanted to look again if those words were perfect to describe her friend. She then raised her head and looked straight at the smiling Natsu in the picture. Thank you. Thank you for everything...". She finished in a whisper. She slowly moved her feet, dropped the flower and went back. Loki looked at the girl. She tried to look calm and tough but anybody who had eyes could see that she was sad. But she wasn't crying, her gaze was lost, her eyes empty.

Happy flew over everybody's heads, dropped his flower then went back. He flew through the rain, rain pouring down his wings and little body. He looked disoriented, his eyes searching through the crowd. Realizing that who he was searching for wasn't there, he landed down on ground, as far away as possible from the grave.

Master was last. He stopped near the stone. Everybody turned their attention from the little blue cat to the old man. The rain pouring down his face, the sad look made him look older than he really was. Old and full of problems.

"My dear son. You little, loud punk. When you first came at the guild, you were a small little kid, not much taller than me. You kept blabbering about how you will become the strongest and leave in order to find Igneel. You grew up and lived up to the reputation you made yourself. You became strong and came to love your team mates in Fairy Tail. You came to love Fairy Tail. You were the loudest, clumsiest mage I have ever seen. You'd provoke anybody to fight you, never taking back your words even though they all beat you up". At this, Erza and Laxus smiled. "You made me the most problems. You almost beat the council up for your friends, you destroyed cities and ports, and somehow, I always covered up for you, never telling you to stop. Because that's who you are. A loud mouth, an overly confident fool, a courageous mage and a kind-hearted friend."

At this he stopped and placed his flower on the pile of other flowers. "You are one of the best mages Fairy Tail has ever had. A hero. Fairy Tail will always remember and cherish you, kid" and with that he turned around and walked back to his seat, tears falling down his cheeks.

Everybody was silent after Makarov finished. His words described the dragon-slayer so well it made them feel as if he was there with them.

The silence was suddenly destroyed by a loud sound of crashed wood. Everybody turned their heads to the place where the noise came from.

In the middle of the rain, on the ruins of what used to be a bench, stood Gildarts, looking puzzled at the broken wood under him, not realizing it was him who did it. But the puzzlement disappeared immediately as his eyes fell on the guild members. He made few more steps and ended up in the middle of the crowd. Everybody looked at him surprised. He left half a year ago in one of his long missions. He never came back before he finished a mission and all his missions took at least a year. He didn't come for Lisanna's funeral two years before so why is it he came for Natsu's.

Everybody backed away, leaving space for him to move. He was known all around for his destructive power.

He started to search through the crowd, looking for his master. When his eyes fell on the small old man he put on a huge smile and fell down next to him, his hand stretching out to pat his head.

"Master, glad to see you!"

"Gildarts boy!" Makarov responded, making a slight move of his head for the other man's hand to fall on the ground and not on his head. "Why are you back so soon? Did the mission go wrong?" The tone of his voice changed from excited to concerned, as he waited for a reply.

"Ah no! I finished it a lot quicker than I was expecting!" He grinned at the old man, his cheeks turning red as he had his arm behind his head in an embarrassed way.

Erza gasped in admiration. Gildarts took an s-class mission said to take three years long and he finished it in less than a year. He really lived up to the reputation he had.

"I heard about Natsu" he said again, this time his tone was serious and his face straight. "I went myself and searched for him again; wishing you were all wrong and you didn't search right. You actually were wrong" he finished abruptly.

All the members of the guild raised their heads at the announcement, hope could be read on their faces. 'Of course they were wrong. It was Natsu who they were talking about after all. And Gildarts is the best. Of course he found him. But if he really found him, then where is he now...' to this conclusion got everybody, some optimists thinking he may be at the guild, waiting for them. Others, the minority, thought of the worst.

"Where is he now then?" Lisanna asked in a very happy tone, with her eyes glistening with excitement and hope. She was now standing on her own two feet, no brother to sustain her. The rain also stopped as Juuvia was also hoping. The pale rays of sun shone on the now happy guild. All of their faces were full of hope; hope that their comrade was still alive.

Lucy raised her head and watched Gildarts. She had to know if he found him but she could not dare to let her hopes rise again. She was afraid they would crumble to pieces once more. But instead of seeing a smile and joyful eyes, she only saw on his face sadness. Sadness and a bit of something she could not describe, something like guilt. She knew the answer before he opened his mouth. She turned around and walked away with tears sparkling in her chocolate eyes.

Everybody watched Lucy as she left, not understanding why, not realizing she already knew what the man was about to say and that she was too afraid that if she'd actually hear it from his lips, she'll be left hopeless. She still had a small insignificant hope that she did not want Gildarts to break, even though she knew it was a fool's hope.

Gildarts took out from one of his large pockets a scarf. A scarf everybody was so familiar with it brought tears to their eyes seeing it again. The scarf was long and had white scales all over it. But at one of its edges, it was burnt. Burnt, destroyed, dirty. Something its previous owner would never have let happen.

"You got it all wrong. I did not bring him back but I found him. I also found this." His voice echoed through the death-like silence while his hand was up in the air, the dragon-slayer's scarf was waving in the wind for all of them to see. Everybody was listening to his words, feeling as if they could not move their body, numb from shock. They already knew what Gildarts was about to say, but unlike Lucy, they couldn't move until they'd hear it.

"I found him" he repeated. "He's still there. But" he stopped and lowered his head, looking at the ground. "He's never coming back. Never." He raised his head once again and watched the clouds floating in the sky. Few minutes of silence passed until he finally took his eyes off the clear blue sky and looked Lisanna straight in the eye, with his voice serious and harsh, in a way they had never heard him talk before.

"Do not wait for him anymore". He let go of the scarf. It flew away with the wind, but only a little as it got stuck in one of the branches of the cherry tree. The burnt edge of the scarf kept waving in the air, reminding them what happened.

"He's dead"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I wanted to thank all of you who reviewed/followed or added to favourites this story. It means a lot to me.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

_"Lucy! Lucy wake up! Please!" a voice echoed through her dreams, like a pale ray of sun reaching out to her through the darkness that surrounded her. She knew that voice from somewhere...images of swords and armours, of knights appeared in front of her eyes. Erza. It was Erza who was calling her. But why was it that Erza was trying to wake her up so early in the morning? And why was it that her voice sounded so worried, so uncharacteristic of her._

_Lucy opened her eyes immediately, looking around herself, prepared to attack anything that made Erza so worried. Her brown eyes scanned the room she was in and let her arm fall back on the bed, her keys falling on the ground, creating a loud noise. She felt Erza hug her tight, she felt as she couldn't breathe, the girl's armour pressing hard against her. Still, she didn't move an inch. She was too absorbed by the memories that invaded her. Everything that happened came at her in an instant. Her eyes were wide open, her gaze lost._

_She was in the infirmary, lying on a wooden bed. All around her were concerned eyes that watched her. She was all bandaged up, due to her wounds. Just the mere action of standing up consumed all her energy. But she didn't notice anything. She could only see the green ball coming for her and the flash of pink that saved her._

_She raised her head and looked in Erza's dark eyes, searching for answers. Her eyes were teary as she watched the stellar spirit mage realize what happened._

_"Natsu..?" Lucy whispered afraid of the answer._

_Erza turned her head away, not standing to look the girl in the eyes._

_"We are still searching for him, Lu-chan. Don't worry!" Levy said from a corner of the room. She was pale and looked really concerned at her best friend. She had never seen Lucy so down. Even when she got all beaten up, Lucy would still be laughing and smiling at everybody._

_"Oh..." The blonde girl whispered. She sighted in relief, thinking maybe they just didn't search well enough. The last thing she remembered were arms stretching out for her as she got to her limit and let the darkness embrace her once again._

Lucy was wandering around the village when Loki finally caught up with her. She looked ravished; her hair was falling in her eyes. He spotted her near the edge of the water, balancing back and forth, with her hands in her pockets and her head turned towards the sky, watching the clouds pass by.

He sprinted towards her, afraid she might leave any moment as she did all day. He was breathing heavily when he finally got next to her. She took her eyes off the sky and looked at him as he approached her. Taking a closer look, Loki realized she wasn't at all down and depressed as he thought she was when he saw her walk away earlier that day. She looked rather peaceful and calm.

After she saw him coming to her, the girl took her eyes off of him and sat on the ground, taking her shoes off and dropping her long feet in the warm clear water. Loki stopped and admired how graceful she was, blush covering his face. From the very first time she saw her, he fell in love immediately, so overtaken by her beauty and personality. He was in her debt for forever. She saved him when even he himself thought he couldn't be saved. But despite the immense appreciation he carried for her, he knew she was unreachable and he didn't try to push any harder. He knew her heart belonged to only one person even though she just realized it. There was and always has been something magical going on between her and the dragon-slayer. Something none of them seemed to notice, but that made everyone around them do. It was sad they will never get to acknowledge it.

He stood a few moments still, trying to regain his calm. He knew this could be his chance, the chance he had been waiting for so long. But he also knew it wasn't right to do this to her. So he breathed deep and sat next to her, repressing his feelings.

Lucy was watching very intensely as the water sparkled in the setting sun. She knew she had been acting childish this whole day, running away from everyone. She didn't have the right to be sad. She didn't deserve all those people to care if she was okay when they were not, all because of her. She made everyone worry and chase for her, still she ran even faster. It felt as if she would continue to wonder around the city unconsciously, the truth won't reach her. That if she'd be caught, it will all fall down on her, brutally and unmerciful. But the sun set and the sky was no longer blue. She had to face the truth and live her life on; as she promised herself she would earlier that day. But she won't let herself be happy anymore. All those people were suffering because of her weakness. She decided what she'll do earlier that day. But she also tried her best to not think it thoroughly; she was afraid that if she did, she will change her mind and choose a safer road.

"Don't leave" Loki said abruptly and looked straight at her, expecting to see her annoyed and questioning at how he found out what she wanted to do but he was completely taken by surprise when she saw her stay right where she were, smiling at the sky.

Lucy didn't answer immediately, lost in her thoughts. Suddenly she turned around and gave Loki a warm smile. It's been a while since Loki last saw her smile, the cute lines her eyes made. He smiled back a little unsure, not knowing what to be expecting. "There's no reason for me to stay. I caused them too much trouble and pain, all because I was too weak. One day I will come back to them again, but only when I will be able to protect each and every one of them with my bare hands."

"And why is it that you need to leave? You could stay right here and train and you know that."

Lucy turned her head back up to the sky and watched as it grew darker and darker, the sun setting behind the village.

"Stop fooling around, Lucy. They already lost a member. They won't handle losing another one too. You know that" he tried again. "You belong here. With your family. You don't have to run away somewhere just to punish yourself. It's what Natsu would've wanted. For you to be happy" Lucy flinched at the mention of the dragon-slayer's name. Just then, seeing her trying to pretend she's perfectly calm, Loki realized why she wanted to leave. Magnolia, Fairy Tail. They were all too much for her. Too many memories. She really did want to run away but not from her family but from her memories. "Think of it. If it was the other way around, do you think Natsu would do what you're about to do? Run away from reality? No. He would've been so hurt I am sure he'd never recover. It would probably change him completely. But he'd never run away. He'd try and live every possible moment of his life in your memory. He'd..."

"Shut up!" Lucy's fists were clenched and she was trembling. "Shut up! You know nothing! Absolutely nothing!" Tears were running down her cheeks, her hair was falling on her face. "Yes I am being selfish! But it is all because I am weak! I am too weak I always hide behind you guys, letting you risk your lives for me. And that's neither fair nor right. I can't stay any longer in this guild. Yes, they are my family and I love them with all my heart but I am also the one who caused so much pain. It is because of me Natsu is now dead! It is my fault! Mine! If I wouldn't have been so weak... I have to leave and become stronger. This place reminds me too much of him... I don't want to leave but I have to. Please understand..." her sobs were shaking her up.

Lucy was trembling next to him, her arms around her waist. She stopped crying but she was still shaken. Her gaze was lost in the distance, at the village opening their lights, looking like fireflies dancing in the night. She shouldn't have started crying, nor make this big of a scene. She didn't deserve Loki's concern at all. She was about to turn around and apologize when she felt his strong arm around her shoulders.

"I am sorry Lucy. You didn't deserve that." he stopped and freed her from his hug "So, where are we going first?" he smiled at the girl who looked at him with big eyes full of gratitude. She smiled back and answered "First, at Master. I wish I didn't have to see them..."

Loki stood up and gave her his hand. She grabbed it and once again that day made their way to the guild.

* * *

While Lucy and Loki were still near the river, the guild was in a war. Well, war was the best to describe the loud members who were attacking each other and yelling obscenities. The moment they set foot in the guild after the funeral, it simply happened. Gray attacked Gajeel all of a sudden, angry and sad. Gajeel fought back, finally dragging all the other members too. If at first it started as a furious fight, it was now full of laughter and no serious attacks. Mirajane was at the bar, cleaning some glasses, smiling at her family. Whenever something bad happened to them, Fairy Tail would always resolve it through fists and laughter. That's what made them so unique.

Suddenly, Gray came at the bar and put his head on it. Mirajane looked at him in surprise. He was always the one who finished last in any fight, accompanied by Natsu, Master or Erza always having to drag them apart. But this time there was no Natsu and that made Gray grumpy. Now that she thought of it, Gray and Natsu would always fight each other and no one else. She smiled at the grumpy boy and poured him a drink. The boy drank it immediately and asked for another one right away, so that after few minutes, his cheeks were red and not from the heat.

"Ah, you burnt me you idiot!" somebody in the fight yelled, after being thrown at the fireplace. Gray quickly raised his head, looking around with eyes full of hope but then looking back down as he realized his hopes weren't real. He felt somebody taking a seat next to him but didn't turn around to look.

"Juuvia is worried about Gray-sama. Usually Juuvia is worried that Gray-sama could get hurt in the battle but funny now Juuvia is worried Gray-sama is not taking part" Gray was about to roll his eyes and tell her to stop calling him Gray-sama when he realized, for the first time, he liked how it sounded.

"Stop worrying Juuvia. I am okay" he smiled at her, seeing with an unknown pleasure how blush covered her cheeks.

"Oh then, Juuvia will leave Gray-sama alone if he's okay." she quickly got off her high chair and started to walk away embarrassed when she felt a strong hand gripping hers. She turned around, prepared to splash with water anybody who dared to drag her in their annoying fight, so she was really surprised when she saw Gray in front of her, half-naked, with his face really close to hers.

"Gray-sama!" She squeaked, her face being so red it could easily make Erza's hair look pink.

"Did I say leave?" he whispered in her ear and then bent down and kissed her. For a mere moment, everybody just stopped what they were doing and looked at them. But before they could say anything, Gray fell on his back, unconscious. Juuvia looked for a second at him, then at the people who just stood there and watched in awe, then back at the ice mage. She fell to her knees immediately and started to shake him, trying to wake him up. Mirajane came immediately next to her and threw a glass of water on his face. The boy woke up immediately and looked around, grumpy once again.

"What happened?" he asked in an annoyed tone after he saw he was the center of attention. Everybody just started laughing while Mirajane told him with a smile on her face that he was drunk. Juuvia, hearing the word drunk and realizing Gray remembers nothing, got up and went in a corner where she just stood by herself, emanating a death aura. Everybody started to laugh at them, knowing that Gray actually liked her even though he wouldn't admit. For the first time in days, it felt nice and warm again in the guild, feeling that even though they just suffered the worst they could have, they would still go on, with Natsu as a constant memory around them.

* * *

Lucy was the first one to enter the guild, with Loki following close behind. She expected to see all of them by themselves, alone and sad so she was so completely taken by surprise of what she saw when she walked in, that she stopped in her tracks and looked with her eyes and mouth wide open. Loki almost fell over her as he didn't see her stopping in that darkness. He thought something happened seeing her so fixed so he immediately prepared to fight. Lucy put one of her arms on his in order to stop him and said "No, look!" as she pointed to the middle of the guild.

Loki looked where she pointed and his mouth fell open. All of their teammates were in the middle of a huge fight, arguing at kicking each other. All of them were laughing; all of them were having fun like they used to have. Gray was on the floor with Mirajane and Juuvia over him, Jet and Droy were fighting in a corner over Levy while the girl was throwing quick looks at Gajeel who was kicking Macao's butt. Erza was scolding Happy who fell in her cake while trying to fly over to Carla to give her fish, while she and Wendy were next to them, laughing at the poor cat. It all looked so familiar, she missed it so much this past days. It was so unnatural to see all of them have so much fun after they found out their comrade was dead only hours before. Lucy's eyes were teary seeing her friends being themselves after taking such a bad hit. Her mind kept telling her it wasn't right, that they forgot all about it too quickly. But her heart shouted it was temporary, they will go back to their sad sides soon; that they did not forget; they just chose that tonight they will cherish the dragon-slayer exactly as he would want to be cherished, through what he loved most: his happy family. She remembered that the first time she set foot in Fairy Tail, they also greeted her like this. She smiled thinking that any normal people would have left immediately seeing how crazy they were, but she fell in love right then. Seeing them like this always made her smile.

Loki took his eyes off the guild members and looked at Lucy. Tears were running down her face but she had a big smile on and her eyes looked so enthusiastic. With one hand she brushed off her tears and then hurried at Levy.

Suddenly, she stopped and turned around to look at Loki. He was following her, but slower. Seeing she was waiting for him, he smiled at her but his smiled faded as he saw hers did too.

"It's okay if you changed your mind, you know" he told the girl. She looked him in the eyes and nodded.

"I'm not going to change my mind... I just uh, this night only, the last time, I want to stay with them once again before I go and tell Master. I know it is selfish and ..."

"It isn't. Stop blaming yourself. Go" Loki cut her off and smiled. Her eyes lighted up again as she went to sit next to Levy.

He started to feel the need to go back in the Celestial Spirit World as he has been out all day and he already started to feel tired. He went and told Lucy and then disappeared in a white flash, leaving with a smile on his face thinking maybe things won't go that wrong. He didn't know how wrong he was mistaken.

Lucy sat next to Levy and they started talking about everything, except Lucy's intention to leave. Lucy wasn't sure how she'd react so she preferred to tell her later. Every minute spent there made her determination fracture even more. Levy told her about Gray and Juuvia and they both smiled at the blue-haired mage who was sitting in a corner, looking really embarrassed, throwing glances at the grumpy Gray who started to fight once again.

Suddenly, Lisanna came down the stairs and stopped near the bar. She caught everybody's attention immediately and that was something, they didn't see Lucy come in. Lisanna's eyes were almost red and puffy; she was trembling and had constant marks of tears on her face. She looked at them all, with surprise and then hatred, thinking they were making fun of what happened. Realizing everybody watched her in utter silence, she tried to make herself look even smaller as she hurried to Erza and told her in a whisper she should go upstairs in Master's office where Laxus and Gildarts were already waiting. Erza gracefully got up and climbed up the stairs, closely followed by Lisanna. Suddenly, the white-haired mage stooped and turned around and looked at them with aversion.

"Are you stupid? He. Is. Dead. And you found that out few hours ago! Are you that insensible!?" After finishing, she took a deep breath and turned around and left from where she came from.

The come and go of the white-haired mage, her words kept them all for a few moments silent. Seeing her made all of them realize they shouldn't be having fun after such a little time. It was like she threw on all of them a bucket of cold water She made their happy walls crumble to pieces and they all returned to one of the tables, silent, feeling the absence of the dragon-slayer more than ever.

A particular blonde haired mage in the back felt as if Lisanna's hateful look struck her right in the heart. She was thankful for that look. She did not know what has gotten into them and she felt disgusted at herself for having fun and delaying her plan.  
She got up and followed Lisanna and Erza upstairs.

She was in front of Master's office, about to open the door when the voices from inside made her stop and listen.

"Erza, please listen to me. I was forced to say that. It was for her sake. If she truly believed it she would've let it go. They are after her, don't you understand? She is in great danger. And it is even worse now that they have him. They only need her and their plan is complete! She is the missing piece! Her mother left her unknowingly a horrible heritage. She must not know of this heritage!" Lucy heard Gildart's serious voice having a slightly panicked tone as he tried to convince the others of his words. She couldn't understand what they were talking about. Erza didn't go upstairs so long before herself but at the way things sounded they were in the middle of a fight.

"I don't care what you think! You made each and every one of them think such a horrible thing! You made them suffer! You made her suffer! We can't hide such a big thing from them!" Erza's voice dominated all.

"Don't you understand that if we tell her, she'll go searching for him? We cannot afford and lose her! It would be the end of everything if she leaves. They are searching for her and they would stop for nothing!" Gildart's voice started to increase in sound. He probably anticipated Erza's next question because Lucy heard Erza articulate a word before Gildarts covered her. "We can do nothing for him! I've seen him yesterday in Herigon . He's horrible. They did to him worst stuff you could think of. I couldn't save him! He is just a shell of his former self now. He can't be saved anymore."

Few minutes passed before Lucy heard someone talking once again. Something in her head tried to tell her what was happening but she just couldn't concentrate and listen. She was too absorbed in the fight she understood nothing of.

This time, Master was the one to talk. His voice sounded old, in a way they've never heard him talk, full of worries. "Now now, calm down" Lucy thought probably Erza was still boiling, with her fists clenched, angry. "It is my fault all this happened. It is because of me Gildarts had to lie to all of you..."

"Master, you don't have to...!" Gildarts tried to stop him

"No, it's okay you shouldn't take my blame. I am the one who asked him to keep it quiet. I am the one who thought it was better like this, if they didn't know. It's my fault you are angry Erza. I am sorry." He stopped and Lucy appreciated he was probably smiling at Erza. "But Gildarts is right. We can't afford to lose her to them. If she had known she'd leave immediately. She is safer here. We have to protect her."

Another moment of silence in which Lucy started to think about what they've said, finally realizing that somebody bad was after a girl in their guild. She was really curious who she was.

"So let me get this straight. They got him and did horrible things to him, making him unable to be saved. We are keeping a very important secret from them because we are afraid that if she'd find out she'd do a reckless thing and leave on her own. This girl is the key to dragging the world in chaos, something her mother left her and that she knows nothing about. So basically, all we have to do is keep her safe" Laxus finally said, sounding bored, like this discussion of soon-to-be world in chaos was of no importance to him.

"You make it sound so easy! It's her love that is put at stake, her respect and devotion for Fairy Tail that will disappear. It's her right to know! It's her decision. We cannot take it in her place!" Erza started to yell, making Lucy believe people downstairs also heard it all.

"So you're willing to sacrifice her life just for her rights?! You're willing to let her run away recklessly right in the arms of the enemy, chasing after something that _can not be saved_ !?" Gildarts sounded furious, as how Lucy never heard him before.

"You don't know her! You don't trust her! You believe too little in her! You are the one who is going to give her on the tray to the enemies by your lack of faith in her! When she'll find out, and I assure you she will, it will be _too damned late_!" Lucy backed away from the door; the fury in Erza's voice was so frightening. She couldn't understand how they inside weren't scared to their depths.

"I prefer to take _god damn_ precautions! Could you promise me she wouldn't run away immediately?!" Gildarts yelled.  
Erza said nothing, realizing he was right. They couldn't take risks. But she hated it.

"Of course we could promise you. If we'd tell her it is for his sake, she wouldn't run away." Laxus said again, sounding bored and annoyed they fought for such little matter.

"Exactly!" Erza approved, happy to have a reason to counter Gildarts.

"No" a voice answered in the same time as Erza. A voice Lucy didn't expect to hear inside, a voice sounding harsher than it did that morning. A voice that belonged to the white-haired mage that Lucy hated and cared for, not really in equal measure. It belonged to Lisanna.

"What do you mean by no?" Erza gritted, annoyance at the girl could be felt from her words.

"She cannot learn of him! She would go after him immediately! Even if we tell them it is for her own good, she'll just go because she always does reckless stuff, never thinking twice!" Lisanna answered frenetically.

"Oh and you say you are good friends. You don't know her at all!?" Erza yelled.

"Erza let her alone!" Master ordered, seeing as Lisanna started crying once again. Lucy rolled her eyes as she kept listening. A thought was stuck in her head, a terrible thought she didn't want to believe.

Erza snorted. Lucy heard her metal boots walking around the room. It was once again silent, only interrupted by Lisanna's constant sobs. Lucy was wondering how she managed to get herself and stay at what seemed the meeting of the most powerful mages of Fairy Tail.

"It isn't fair. It isn't right..." Erza mumbled.

"We are only trying to save her Erza... It is only Lucy's life we are concerned about" Master tried to make the scarlet-haired mage reconsider.

Lucy froze at the mention of her name. Her thoughts were going in that direction also but she just didn't want to believe she could be the one who could bring chaos in the world, the one bad guys wanted with all their might. She had no odd or powerful magic. She was just a mere celestial mage. And the other person they talked about, the one that could not be saved, the one she'd run recklessly after could only be... 'But that's not possible... He's ...' her blood started to boil. She suddenly got angry at them, for staying inside and discussing with nonchalance about were taking decisions about her without asking her. They had no right. Poor Erza, she tried her best but they did not believe in her.

She turned around and took a decision she regretted ever since then. She ran away from the guild, ignoring the people she passed by. She felt an immense pleasure in doing exactly what they were afraid she'd do. She ran at her apartment and started to put in a backpack important stuff she thought she'll need. In a few minutes, she was already taking off when she stopped and went back. She took the photo near her bed, with the five of them, team Natsu and placed it inside her bag. She threw one last look and then left, fifteen minutes later she was already on a train to Hargeon, where Gildarts last saw him. She looked out the window at the place she called her home, repressing the need to jump off the train and go back. She really believed she took a rash decision but there was no turning back. If she wanted to save him, she had to go on her own.

* * *

Back at the guild, in Master's office, unknown to them of what the subject of their discussion just did what they feared most, Erza and Gildarts were still arguing, whether or not they should tell Lucy.

Suddenly, Levy burst in, tears rolling down her face. She was breathing hard. Gajeel was right behind her.

"She's gone! She went upstairs after you earlier and came back later, running, ignoring us all. I followed her but she was too fast. She left for the station. What did you tell her?!" she was angry; they had hurt her best friend, making her run away.

Erza, Gildarts, Laxus and Master exchanged worried looks. It was all clear. The girl has been listening to them.

"That fool! She did exactly what I thought she will!" Gildarts shouted

"She heard everything we said. She now knows everything. She knows that Natsu is alive and she left to save him. And I don't blame her! All she heard was how he can't be saved anymore. She probably believes right now we just gave up on him!"Erza shouted back, angry at them.

"But she does not know in what way Natsu is different from before! If she really gets to meet him, it will be over!" Gildarts realized.

Lisanna was standing in the back, frozen at the news. She wished so much to say she was right but she couldn't. Lucy left after Natsu. She was jealous. Lucy was now one step ahead of her. If she'll succeed in bringing him back, he'll be forever in her debt.

While Erza and Gildarts were exchanging another pair of shouts and accusations, there was already a crowd outside the door that continued until downstairs, every word the ones upstairs heard they transmitted it from mouth to mouth until all the members knew what was happening.

Again that night, Erza and Gildarts were interrupted, this time by Gajeel.

He looked at them unmerciful as he said each word loud enough for everybody to hear. "What do you mean by Natsu is still alive?"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hellooo. I am so very sorry I made you wait for so long. School is horrible. I also wanted to thank all of you guys who spent some of your time reading this. I really hope you didn't consider it a waste of time and that you liked it.**

**I came up with some imaginary towns as I didn't want to make any mistake with the real ones or anything.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

It was a dark night; the sky was full of clouds that covered the full moon completely. The port had very few lights, making it almost impossible to differentiate the ground and the sea. There were few ships anchored, most of them small, fishing boats. Tiny rays of light glistened on the dark water, creating a sensation that the sky and ground were the other way around, the stars shining in the sea, while the foam of the waves crushing in the sky.

It was silent, except the occasional sound of songs carried by the wind from the village. The village was smaller than Hargeon, a little fishing port and some taverns which were rarely opened. During the day, Riven Port looked rather empty, seagulls flying around, while fishermen tried to sell their fish to the locals, few with success. But at night, it changed completely. Dark ships anchored in the port, mysterious men making their way to the taverns around. Before the sun rose, they were already gone. Locals called them Phantom Ships. And the mysterious men were pirates.

That night was unusually silent. Most of the taverns were closed, taverns which by night would be full of faraway men. Far away from the village, floating on the water was a large ship. It had dark veils and no lights. The only thing that made it visible was the glowing siren on its front. People on the shore knew that ship very well. They knew it brought nothing good. When it came, Riven Port would become a very gloomy village.

Covered by the shadows of the night, a dark figure was lurking through the village, always looking around, being sure to always be out of sight. The figure was tall, a black cloak falling all the way down to her feet, a hood covering its face. It was moving graciously around, searching for something, when suddenly it stopped in front of an old tavern that looked as if miracles were still holding her up. The figure hesitated in front of the door, but then with a firm move, opened it and stepped inside, letting it close tight behind her.

The figure stopped in her tracks and looked around the dark room. The bar was far away in the corner. All around the room were small tables. The only lights in the room came from the candles on the walls. They threw long shadows on the faces of the people inside, people with scars and fierce looks, dressed in messy clothes and pistols at their belts. They were whispering when the figure walked in. All of them stopped and looked at her. They looked at the uninvited person with anger and curiosity, wanting to find how who would be so brave to set foot that night in their layer.

The hooded person, seeing everybody looked at him with hostile eyes, made his way quickly to the bar and sat down, looking straight down at his feet.

Soon, the men started whispering again, throwing short glances at the bar. It was an unusual feel in the air, those men were crew members on the ship anchored in the distance, and they were pirates, feared by everybody. The hooded person slowly turned his head, looking around the room, searching for something. Seeing the one he was looking for wasn't there, he sighted and turned around just to see a tall old man, the bartender, staring at him. His hair was gray and fell down on his face, covering his eyes. He had wrinkles covering all his face while a cigarette stuck out of his mouth. He had an annoyed look so he wasn't surprised when his tone was the same.

"What'd ya want?" he asked, cleaning a glass with a dirty cloth. The glass got dirtier and dirtier with every touch.

The hooded man suddenly moved his hand and took something out from an inside pocket. The bartender's hand gripped the glass at the sudden movement. The other man dropped in front of him a small piece of paper and went back to its previous state, ignoring the old man and stare at his feet.

The bartender carefully took the piece of paper, curiosity striking him, making him unaware of what was around him. His eyes widened as he read the name on the paper.

He raised his head just in time to see the knife racing to his head but he was too slow. He fell on his back, overthrowing the glasses around him, making them crumble to pieces. The hooded person watched in awe as a dark figure bent down over the bar and grabbed the piece of paper from the bartender's hands.

"I'll take it from here" he smiled at the dead man and turned around at the people in the bar who watched in shock and admiration at their host being killed. But they knew too well the killer to interfere; they knew well enough to know they had no chance.

"I am deeply sorry for that. I intended to hit only the paper." again he smiled, like he did nothing wrong. The hooded person looked at him and a shiver of fear shook him. Why was it he wanted his piece of paper?

The man turned around, his serpent-like eyes full of happiness. He had an innocent and deadly aura around him. He locked his eyes on the possessor of the paper, leaning his head as he looked at the name on the paper the back at the hood with curiosity. Suddenly, his eyes lit up again and he smiled to the newcomer.

"Follow me!" he smiled and turned around and walked away through a back door that the hooded man didn't notice before. He showed no intention to follow the serpent man. He continued to look down at his feet and throw quick glances around himself, wondering what to do next. He saw the knife a second too late; luckily it wasn't intended at his body. It landed so close to his hand that he could already feel the pain. He looked in shock at the serpent guy who was standing in the doorway, smiling at him.

"I really don't like repeating myself" he hissed and disappeared. The hooded man got up and followed the man without his intention, his feet carrying him with fear. The men left behind looked with pity after the hooded-man.

The other room was dark and clouded with smoke. There was no light inside except the light made by the cigarette in the man's mouth. The man was sitting in a chair behind a long desk, his hands placed on it, holding loose a small pistol. He had gray short hair and was dressed in dirty clothes like the other men, but the difference was that even though he looked messy, he had a dark aura that made him look superior to all of them. But that wasn't the scariest thing he had. He looked a lot older than the bartender but that could also be untrue, as his face was completely covered in scars. They were long and deep, hiding any human trait. His mouth was curved in a grotesque way, making him have the need to hold his cigarette as it would constantly fall from his mouth. The only thing that remained untouched on his face were his dark eyes. They looked calm and calculated, but still they had something that would make even the serpent man look like a little kid besides him.

The serpent man seemed untouched of the other man's coldness. He continued to smile innocently, playing with a knife.

"He was looking for you. He had your name. The bartender saw it" he stated, resuming everything that happened in a few words. "Oh, we also need a new bartender" he smiled again, like he thought that was very common. The hooded-man shivered, realising it was probably something very common.

While the serpent man talked, the scarred one watched him, looking bored as if he expected nothing more, nothing less. When he finished, he finally fixed his eyes on the hooded-man.

"What is it I can do for you?" his voice sounded harsh, his lips trembling as he spoke. He was about to add something more when he saw the other man talking his hood off. He gasped in surprise, making the serpent man drop his innocence for a few seconds as they both stared in awe at the person under the hood.

"Thank you for seeing me. I won't waste any more of your time so I will say directly what I want. I am looking for answers. Someone told me you may have them. I beg you to answer them! My name is..."

"Layla Heartfilia...?" the scarred man completed in astonishment, looking at the young, blonde girl in front of him. "That can't be... You are too young..." the man stood there, staring at the dumbstruck girl. She looked at him with amazement.

Lucy left Magnolia two days before and headed for Hargeon. She knew she didn't have too much time until they'll start looking for her. She knew she had to leave Hargeon quick. She asked around but people did not know anything about a pink haired boy. After a few hours of searching, she finally found an odd looking kid that knew what she wanted. He heard her while she was asking some men on the street and sent her off to Riven Port, telling her she must be at the tavern exactly that night. He wrote for her who she has to ask for and then went off, disappearing before she could even thank him. She quickly got on a train and ended up in the gloomy village. She was grateful to the kid and she was also hopeful, thinking that the man whose name she had could help her find the dragon-slayer. She knew it was stupid of her to trust a kid's ideas but she had no other trace. After being face to face with the bartender, the crew, the serpent man and the scarred man, she thought the kid probably just joked around with her, sending her off in the pirate's claws. She was annoyed and angry with herself for trusting him. She expected the scarred man to know about Natsu or know nothing at all so it came as a complete surprise when he called her her mother's name.

"How did you just call me...?"She asked in total amazement, forgetting to keep her serious face on.

"You know her?" the serpent guy asked with a malicious smile on his face. He looked puzzled but surprised and excited all together. His smile was so big it looked as if he just won the lottery.

"Ray. Leave" the old man demanded. His surprise disappeared as he looked at the other man. Lucy looked more attentive at him and realized he didn't look much older than her. Without his smile on, he looked scared and out of his place, his eyes looking obedient at the floor. Lucy watched surprised as the boy left with nothing to add. She realized she was now all alone in the dark room with the scarred pirate that made even the odd serpent boy leave with fear.

She gulped and turned around to face the other man. She ordered herself to recompose her calm mask, never let him see how his presence scared her so much. He was looking at her in complete silence, his hands holding his head. He looked seriously at the girl, but she saw behind that composed calm that he was surprised and curious.

She kept her mouth shut, waiting for him to be the one to speak first. She looked around the room from the corner of her eye, thinking about how she ended up getting in this sort of trouble. Only three days ago she was in Magnolia, in her cosy home, surrounded by her friends, together sulking the death of the dragon slayer.

'_No! They were lying to you all along. They knew he was alive. They've let us suffer pointlessly. We should have gone and save him when we had the chance but we didn't know. They didn't try and save him. They said he can't be saved. I am here to bring him back...'_

He knew something about her mother. Unexpected as it was, she craved for her memories with her mother, which she had so few of. Even though he doesn't know about the fire dragon-slayer, she'll find out more about her mother. Even though it scared her to her depths staying there, so close yet so far from her life, she had to know.

"I am Lucy Heartfilia. Layla Heartfilia was my mother. She is no longer alive" she decided to talk first as the scarred man seemed as if he could stay there and stare at her the whole day. She waited for a response but seeing he made no move in answering her, she asked again, this time making her voice sound bolder, trying to look tougher in his eyes. "Did you know her...?"

Again, they were surrounded by silence. Thoughts raced through her mind, thoughts that made her want to rewind the time, thoughts that she tried to keep away with all her might. Suddenly, he made a slight move of his head and said in a categorical tone "No. I didn't." Lucy saw his eyes light up and she knew he was lying. He had to be. Before she could open her mouth and complain, he spoke again.

"Ray said you had my name with you. Who gave you that?" his voice was like steel, hard, closing up on her, making her have to answer without her intention.

Some rational thought still didn't leave her and she realized she couldn't just tell him about the kid. She shivered only at the thought of the kid falling into his grip.

"Someone in Hargeon. I can't remember. It was too dark to see." She cheered in her mind realizing she sounded though and secure.

"And what is it you wanted to ask me? I have no time to spend on you. Say quickly and leave" he ordered.

"Do you know anything about a pink-haired mage, a fire dragon-slayer?" she more whispered the last words than say them out loud, afraid she will get a negative response as before.

The scarred man was silent for a few moments, measuring her from head to toe. When he finally decided to speak, Lucy already felt so scared she felt her feet shaking. She couldn't explain why this man made her feel so afraid.

"Salamander. Yes. Last time I saw him was in Hargeon. He was with some certain people you should never wish to encounter. Why is it you ask?"

"So you know him! Do you know where they were going? Please tell me!" she begged excitedly, ignoring the fierce looks he threw her for not answering.

For some reason, he let it pass and answered her, something Lucy would've learnt later, that was extremely rare.

"I do not know exactly where they were heading. As I said before, these aren't people that would carelessly slip such information. But I know one of the ones with your dragon. I know where he is from. That's all I have and can tell. His name is Teru. He leaves in a small village near the Northern Woods, Krein. If you ask me, I wouldn't engage with such people. They are no match for you" he stated raising what could've been an eyebrow and joining his hands in front of him.

"Thank you very much" Lucy bowed but made no move to leave. Little did she know she was privileged, nobody had ever talked with the scarred man and lived, except for his crew. "I have one more favour to ask and I'll be gone."

"You're wasting my time. Say it and leave. Hurry." He demanded, shoving her off with his hand. She looked astonished at his hand. Seeing his face was so injured, she assumed his whole body was the same, but looking at it closer she realised the only mark they had were made by the passing of ages.

She took a deep breath, knowing she was already pushing her luck. But she had to at least try...

"Please tell me about my mom... I know you knew her" she looked at him with big chocolate eyes.

"I already told you I don't know her" he puffed, annoyed

"But her name...? You knew her name. The coincidence is too big!"

"Look girl I..." but he stopped in the middle of his sentence and looked at the door. She could hear it too, sound of fighting, of gun shots, of swords clashing.

Suddenly, the door opened and Ray walked in, a big smile on his face. Before he closed the door, Lucy caught a glimpse of what was happening outside and shivered. There were people fighting everywhere. But it wasn't as in Fairy Tail. There was blood everywhere and more and more men fell to their knees. She shut her eyes close before the door was shut. The scarred man already had his pistol headed towards the person's who entered head but he lowered it down at the sight of him. Ray was already blocking the door with chairs and drawers Lucy didn't notice in the room. The boy had a candle in his hand that he placed on the table. It threw long shadows all around the room, making Lucy gasp at the sight of the large room. She didn't realize how big it was until then. But they still had no way to exit. Lucy was shaking in fear. What did she get herself into?

"Bounty hunters" Ray declared with his smile up as if he just announced the weather. "A lot of them actually. They never act in groups. It is weird. They are winning." He finished blocking the door and looked at the other man, waiting for orders. "You should go. I'll keep them behind while you run away." He added suddenly.

Lucy noticed the concern in the boy's voice, the sacrifice he was about to make with no hesitation. He was devoted to the scarred man. She surprised herself feeling a little warmer towards the boy, seeing what he was about to do for the person he admired.

"No. I am sure they'd be happy to catch me, I have a lot of money on my head after all But they aren't after me.." he turned his head from the boy's puzzled face and looked at the blonde girl who resembled her so much. "They are after her." Both Lucy and Ray gasped at the sudden announcement.

"Me...?"

It was silent for a few moments as Lucy thought about it. It came as a shock for her but she somehow expected it ever since she overheard Gildarts and Erza arguing. If she really was as important as they thought she was people would be after her. Just then she realised that she wished they were wrong the whole time and that actually she was harmless as she thought until then.

"You have a lot of money on your head." The scarred man told her, as he had his eyes closed and concentrated at the door.

"But why are they ..." he had no chance to finish as a loud sound echoed from the other room. They were already trying to break the door.

"We have no time for silly chats. Ray, you know what you have to do." Ray nodded and turned around, disappearing into the shadows of the room. Lucy heard him making some dangling sounds.

"Listen close. Our time is limited."Lucy turned her head to the scarred man in surprise. He was talking to her. "I knew your mother a long time ago." He stopped as he saw Lucy's mouth opening to ask another question. "We have no time!" he gritted his teeth, making her shut up. "We were in the same guild, Love & Lucky." Lucy couldn't stop a giggle, imagining the scarred man in front of her, with his dangerous looks, once being part of the guild called Love & Lucky. She found it amusing how she was about to get caught by the bounty hunters and handed over to some powerful mages, still she laughed about such small things. He threw her a death glare that silenced her completely. She was a very powerful and feared celestial mage, by humans and spirits together. She made a lot of enemies, even though she was so kind. Before she met your father and gave up the mage life, me and her, we went on a mission. On that mission she found out a lot of things that should've never been found. Things she took with her in the grave. I never knew everything; she always told me it was too dangerous to involve me. The only thing I know is that they need two sacrifices. One is Layla's blood and the other is the blood of a dragon. Or more exactly, of a ..."

"Dragon-slayer..." Lucy completed him, fear in her eyes. Sudden realisations made her way into her mind. It all made sense now. That also meant Natsu was still alive. They needed her in order to complete their plans but they also needed him. As they didn't have her, Natsu still had days to live. This brought hope into her heart.

Seeing how her eyes lit up at what he said, taking him by surprise as he didn't expect that kind of reaction, his expression hardened.

"You must not, ever, go after them after him. You falling in their arms means death. Not only for you and for him, but for everyone. "

"But you told me where to find him! Was that a lie?" tears gathered in her eyes as she watched the pirate in front of her. He saw him shudder, looking as if he forgot he told her that. That made Lucy realize she still had a trace.

"I'm done." Ray said from across the room. Lucy caught a glimpse of water where he stood. A square hole in the ground showed her the room was above water.

"Go with him Lu-..." the scarred man said but he was cut off by the door bursting open, destroying the chairs and drawers that locked it.

Lucy turned around and took out Taurus' key, stretching her hand in front of her, looking determined at the bounty hunters that filled the room. She was about to call when the scarred man put his hand on hers.

"Go! Now! I'll handle this!" he yelled at her, pushing her after Ray who already disappeared in the hole.

"I can help!" she opposed, trying to go back.

"There are more coming! Go! Please!" he pleaded, making the girl frown, as he dropped for a second his tough façade.

Lucy had no time to make a decision because someone, Ray, grabbed her foot and dragged her through the hole. She barely managed to whisper a thank you. Before completely falling, she saw a smile, or what looked like a smile on the man's face.

She dropped with a loud splash in the cold water. She quickly opened her eyes and started swimming to the shore. She was almost there when the second time in the last minutes, she felt somebody grab her. She was forcefully pulled outside of the water and placed in a boat. She started coughing hard, as the surprise of the action made her swallow some water. She was about to take her keys when she realised who was in the boat with her. Ray was paddling, heading towards the open sea, but his eyes kept turning back and looking at the tavern. Lucy noticed how torn up he was, between his loyalty and love for his captain.

* * *

Back at the tavern, the sparred man was tied up; completely beaten up, blood pouring down his face from more cuts. He fought with all he had but they were too many. At least, they managed to get away.

Suddenly, in the mass of men a hooded figure appeared. He wasn't much taller or buffer than the men around him, still they all looked as if they feared him. He approached the beaten up pirate and asked in a harsh voice, which send chills down the man's spine as he recognised it.

"Where is she?"

"Screw you!" the man retorted, looking away.

The hooded man turned around and left, but the pirate heard what he said: "Keep him alive. He has a big price on his head. Hand him over to the police." The scarred man puffed, realising he'll be dead by tomorrow, a public execution, as all pirates were treated in that village.

After all survivors were taken out and tied up, the hooded man walked in front of the tavern, looking at it for a few moments. Suddenly, a huge flame erupted on his arms as he sent off a ball of fire. He turned around and walked away, as the building exploded behind him.

* * *

"No, never seen her." The woman answered and left in annoyance and embarrassment, leaving a depressed Gray behind. He was naked, his underwear gathering the attention of the peaceful citizens. He had a small photo in his hand, a photo of a blonde girl. Blonde girl nobody in that town seemed to have ever seen.

"Juuvia thinks maybe Lucy didn't leave for Hargeon after all." The blue-haired mage said, appearing out of nowhere near Gray, making him jump.

"Mph.."Gray answered, not bothering to look at her.

The past two days, most of the Fairy Tail members left in teams in search for their teammate, Lucy. Gildarts explained everything to them after Lucy ran away. Even though they nodded and agreed to search for her, most of them understood and supported her in their minds, feeling betrayed themselves. If it wasn't for the full of rage Erza, more people would've followed Lucy. One of those people was also Gray. Hearing his friend was alive he dashed out the door and almost managed to get into a train if it wasn't for Juuvia following him and stopping him. Ever since then, Erza never let him out of her sight. They were the number one team, assigned to follow Lucy while the others simply looked for her around the country. Secretly, Erza wanted to catch up with Lucy and together find Natsu but she was afraid to admit it, knowing Gray would dash off again immediately after finding out Erza was no longer a guardian. Even though they knew Lucy was going further and further away from them with every passing hour, they were still locked in Hargeon as they had no other trace. For the past two days, they searched for people to have seen her, but nobody did. They were really starting to think Lucy never came here.

"Juuvia believes Gray-sama should dress-up because Gray-sama is attracting furious looks from the citizens." Juuvia continued to babble behind him but he paid no attention to her. He knew Erza was trying to find Lucy and Natsu but seeing the girl kept it quiet, he remained patient and waited. He had no choice as the only way to find Lucy and Natsu was through what they were doing then. When Gildarts told all of them that Natsu was alive, he was really happy but then he realized that Gildarts and the guild didn't save him, giving up on him. He got angry, understanding Lucy, and wanted to leave. If it wasn't for that annoying blue-haired mage that followed him everywhere, he would now be with Lucy, searching for their teammate. But that's what he thought then. Gildarts explained to him how the dragon-slayer was now. That didn't make Gray want to give up but he said to himself that he shouldn't be mad on the others as the dragon-slayer managed to get himself into a really tough situation. After that, the teams were made and he, Erza and Juuvia were assigned to trace Lucy and he got fired up once again. He suddenly chuckled at the expression "fired up". Juuvia, in front of him, was blushing furiously, thinking Gray chuckled at her. Gray, seeing the mage understood it all wrong, rolled his eyes and puffed again, turning around and sitting on a bench. Juuvia at next to him and started playing with her shirt, nervous.

They were waiting for Erza at the meeting place, occasionally asking people about the picture. They agreed to leave town that night whether they found something or not. They finished asking and were now waiting. But it was unusual for Erza to be late. She was never late, especially when so many lives depended on her speed.

The sun was already setting when the scarlet-haired mage finally appeared. Juuvia immediately raced at her, eager to hear if she found anything. Gray, on the other hand, was half-asleep on the bench. He didn't bother to even look at Erza when she came as he already knew what she'll say. He stood there, eyes closed, thinking of ways to find Lucy and Natsu. He became more and more desperate, even though he didn't show it. Everything was a mess. His best friend died; the most powerful mage in Fairy Tail lied to all of them, not telling them Natsu was actually alive; Lucy overheard the secret meeting of the strongest, where they were discussing angrily about her fate, about how a bunch of very powerful mages were after her for something she inherited from her mother that she did not know about, and about the fate of hers and his best friend which they made no action to save, saying he couldn't be saved anymore; Lucy did what they feared most and ran away in search of the dragon-slayer, on her own. Fairy Tail was never as weak as in that moment, spread all over the country, with their feelings confused and messed-up, unsure whether to find the girl and bring her back or to help her save their team-mate, disregarding what Gildarts told them to do. Gray sighted as his thoughts wandered off.

He was so lost in thoughts he realized a second too late there was another voice besides Juuvia's and Erza's. He opened his eyes and looked around. He saw the familiar blue hair and right behind her the red. He stood up, trying to find the source of the third voice. Suddenly, Erza moved a little revealing a small boy sitting in front of her. He had white hair that fell in his green eyes. He didn't look a lot younger than Wendy but unlike her, he carried an arrogant expression.

Gray immediately went next to them and stared at the little kid in annoyance, thinking he picked up on the girls or something. The boy stopped in the middle of his sentence and watched Gray with precaution, his green eyes narrowing.

"Who's he?" the ice mage asked Erza.

"This kid here is the reason we weren't able to find anything about Lucy here." Gray looked at Erza puzzled. He couldn't understand how a 7-year-old brat could have any relation to their bad luck.

"You see, this boy here is a mage" Gray's eyes widened in shock, looking at the boy. He was looking back at the black-haired mage with a superior look. "He can control people in doing what he wants them to do. Too bad it doesn't work on magical creatures" Erza stated, looking at the boy who blushed, making Gray realise he probably tried to do something to Erza. The pieces of the puzzle suddenly started to fit. He grabbed the boy by his collar and started yelling

"Why did you make everyone forget Lucy? Why are you hiding her from us? Tell me!"

Erza gripped his hand and freed the boy who fell on his back, coughing.

"He was just explaining all of that" she said in a cold voice, looking angrily at Gray for almost strangling their only trace

"I helped her two days ago!" the boy squeaked "She was searching for a pink haired boy. I sent her to Captain Scar because he knows everything. I erased the memory of her from the people in town so that she could lose her trace easily. I only wanted to help her!" his arrogant expression disappeared, leaving behind a teary kid.

Juuvia looked at him with teary eyes while Erza suddenly bent down and hugged him. After a few seconds, she stood up, embarrassed. Gray and Juuvia watched her in surprise but dared to say nothing, afraid of the 'Titania'.

"What's your name?" Gray asked the boy in an uneasy tone.

The boy looked up at him, while removing his tears and whispered "My name is Mei..."

"Well Mei" Erza smiled "Will you be so kind and lead us to Scar? We need to find our friend as soon as possible."

Mei nodded, smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you for reading this. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

"They are all cancelled! I told you we should have left last night!" Gray yelled in annoyance at Erza, as the two sat in the train station, looking at the panels that announced that all the trains were cancelled that day.

"It was too late last night for us to leave. And I was tired. We will just wait until tomorrow" Erza answered, not losing her calm as always. But she felt a little unsure. It was as if someone kept trying to hold them in Hargeon.

"If we would've left as I said last night, maybe we would've caught up with her by now!" Gray tried again, unaware of the vein popping on the scarlet-haired mage's head.

"Do you doubt me? Come here you brat I'll show you..." she yelled back at the now scared ice mage.

Juuvia was behind them, looking afraid at Erza, thinking of ways to calm her before she'd do anything to her precious Gray. Mei was right next to her, his arrogant expression on his face once again as he watched the two mages argue.

"An execution must be planned for today. Every time they catch one, they make a public execution. The last one they managed to catch was a year ago. I think they are desperate if they go as far to cancel the trains." Mei suddenly said and then closed his mouth, looking down at his small feet as if he talked without his intention. Erza and Gray stopped and turned around to look at the white-haired boy. Juuvia was too busy searching for any wounds to pay attention.

"Execution... Who are they executing?" Erza asked while looking at the now furiously blushing boy

"Pirates..." he whispered

"Pirates? Like the one we are searching for! We should go; maybe he knows something about Scar!" Juuvia cheered, feeling happy they had a trail.

"You don't understand. Captain Scar is one of the most feared pirates of all. Nobody knows where he is or what he does. Ordinary pirates fear him. There is no way the executed pirate could know anything about him but tales or legends...!" Mei argued. He had a feeling it would end very soon for him if he follows those mages. He was planning on running away from them after showing them which city to board for but it looked like he was still stuck with them. He clenched his little fists and looked straight down at the ground.

"We have nothing to lose by going to watch. We are stuck here until the execution is over so we may as well go and see." Erza decided.

"But..." Mei whispered as he watched the two girls making their way through the angry crowd to the exit.

"What are you so afraid of?" Gray suddenly popped up next to him and asked in a serious tone. Mei shrieked and stuck his tongue out, then dashed off after the girls.

'What is he hiding...?'Gray thought as he slowly followed his teammates, hands in his pockets, his thoughts far away, dreaming of rain. For some reason, those thoughts brought blush on his face. He immediately shook his head so the thought would disappear and dashed after the girls. For so much time now, every time he was lost in thoughts, rain would pop up in his mind. The scent, the taste, the feeling. Everything. And each time he would try and forget it.

Somewhere behind them, hiding in the crowd, following the Fairy Tail mages was a girl. For three days she's been following them, taking care so they wouldn't notice. For three days it went perfectly fine. Not even the 'Titania' could notice her. She was so proud of herself.

Seeing them leaving, she ran after them, hiding behind people and buildings after getting too close. She realised only a street away they were heading for the town centre. She put on her hood, covering her short hair and followed them nonchalantly.

They made their way through the crowd, heading for the centre of the square. There was a wooden stand there, tall enough for everybody to see. In the middle of it was a high pole on which was tied a rope, the rope that would end the pirate's life very soon.

Even though Hargeon was a rather small and peaceful city, the square was full of people so they had a hard time finding places close enough to the scene in order to be able to speak with the prisoner.

Erza attracted many curious looks as her armour shinned in the bright sun. She looked around, disgusted, at the people around her who were so anxious in watching a man being sentenced to death. It was as if they thought of themselves much higher than the pirate, for they never did anything as condemnable as what he did. But just the simple fact they stood there, happy, waiting for someone's death put them of the same level as the prisoner himself. She promised herself that if she'll have the chance, she'll help the pirate.

Trying her best not to lose them from her sight was the girl who's been following them. She was hiding behind somebody every time any of the three would turn their heads and look around. She was afraid they'd discover her and that would put an end to her plans as she was supposed to be in a whole other place right then. She finally got behind them. She knew the kid wouldn't recognise her, that Juuvia won't understand why she's there. But she knew that Gray and Erza would immediately send her off to Magnolia as they'd know perfectly well what she'll be up to.

She hid behind them and threw a look around. There were a lot of people at that hour and after seeing the pole, she soon realised why. Hearing the people around her talking about the pirate they were about to execute made her shiver. Even though she tried to act all tough, she was still afraid of the outside world, of their cruelties. While looking around, her eyes fell on a nearby pair of odd-looking persons. One of them was very buff and tall while the other was a little shorter and slimmer. They both had hoods covering their heads, but the girl found them somehow familiar. They were close enough to her that she would hear what they were saying but they just stood there in silence. Suddenly, a loud bang silenced the audience and made her turn her eyes away from the pair and look at the stage.

A short man came up, the mayor. People all around her stopped whispering and looked in silence at him. He looked as if he wasn't glad he was there, on the verge of killing somebody, surrounded by so many people.

Erza watched in silence as a tall man was being brought up on the stage. He looked calm and as if he had everything in control. He had a grey hood covering his face. He was led to the pole, then had the rope tied around his neck. He didn't move an inch. He just stood there, with his arms tied behind his back, with his death tied around his neck.

"This man here is known to have committed atrocious acts. He is accused of murder, crime, theft and many others. He is known to be a pirate moreover. For this, as law proclaims, he will be sentenced to death immediately. He will be hanged." The short man quickly said, with no formalities or welcomes. He was out of his place there and he wanted it to end as soon as possible.

One of the other men on the stage, with a quick move, suddenly took off the man's hood. The audience gasped in shock at seeing the scarred face of the pale man. Even though he was in such a condition, the pirate never let his eyes go off the sea. He looked calm and not at all nervous.

But the one who gasped the loudest, who shrieked the quickest was Mei. Seeing the man there on the stage, recognizing him, all the fear he carried with him all his little and short life filled him. He knew that man. It was him who they were searching for. Why was it that the greatest of the pirates was captured?

Gray heard Mei squeak and he realized who the man on the stage was just as the short mayor proclaimed in a deep tone "Rider Mayher, proclaimed as Captain Spar, you are hereby sentenced to death. Do it" he ordered at the other man who had his hand on a handle. He pulled the handle and a hole opened under the prisoner, making him fall to his death.

Suddenly, ice-covered where the hole used to be while the slash of a sword cut the rope, freeing the man from his doom. Erza was now sparring with the men, while Gray and Juuvia took the man and disappeared with him in the city, closely followed by a scarlet haired mage carrying a sword and a kid. They ran off and got lost through the streets of the town.

The girl was completely taken by surprise by the actions of the people she was following so she had no time to run after them that they were already lost from her view. She was about to leave and search anyway when she heard the odd pair of hooded man talk. The voice of the slimmer one made her freeze. She watched them through the corner of her eye as the buffer one was about to follow the ones who just stole the pirate when the slimmer one put a hand on his shoulder and said in a harsh voice "Let them go. They are of no use to us. We got our money. It's their business now. Let's leave." They both turned around and immediately left. In a split second decision, the girl decided to follow them. She threw one more glance at where the others left and then got lost in the crowd, following someone she never thought of seeing again.

* * *

The others were now at the periphery of the town, hiding in an old building. They were silent as they heard the steps of the followers disappear in the distance.

Erza suddenly sighted in relief. They managed to escape without causing a little war. She suddenly turned around and looked straight at the scarred man. He was sitting in a corner, his arms still tied behind his back, looking straight at Mei, but seeming to not realise the boy was there. On the other hand, Mei was trembling; he could not dare raise his head. He knew the older man was watching him.

"Who are you?" the scarred man asked. "Why did you save me?" he added, looking at Erza.

Erza threw Gray a quick glance then turned around and looked the scarred man in his green eyes.

"We are mages of Fairy Tail. We are searching for her." Gray took out his photo of Lucy and showed it to the man who froze at the sight of the blonde girl. "We were told you knew her. Do you know where she is now?" Erza continued, sensing the tense in the man's position.

"And what if I refuse to say?" he tried

"We will give you back to the ones searching for you outside." Gray stated with no mercy.

Scar looked around the room in annoyance. He was at the mercy of a bunch of kids. He didn't like that. There was no way he would tell some strangers where Lucy was heading.

"I don't know where she is going. They caught me before she could tell me"

"Stop lying!" Gray gritted his teeth. "We need to find her and bring her back home!"

"Home?" Scar asked surprised.

"Fairy Tail. She is a mage of Fairy Tail too." Erza confirmed.

Scar was confused. He thought that the ones in front of him were after Lucy, either bounty hunters or hired by the ones who wanted her. But they said she was one of them, all part of the same guild. He had no idea how to prove it. Years of being the most feared pirate gone in a second for the celestial mage's sake.

Gray, seeing the internal struggle the pirate was facing, he quickly took out another photo and threw it in his lap.

Scar looked at it in surprise, not knowing what to expect. The picture was also of Lucy. This time, her hand was in her hair, showing her Fairy Tail sign. Scar didn't know what to look at, not seeing the mark. He raised his eyes from the photo and looked at the other mages, getting annoyed. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he watched the three mages undressing and showing him their Fairy Tail mark. He looked back at the picture, this time looking more carefully, and saw the pink mark on her arm too.

"We are all part of Fairy Tail. She is one of our nakama. We will stop at nothing in order to find and save her. Please understand that each passing moment makes us lose her even more." Erza said looking at him, begging him from her eyes.

Scar knew that Lucy was by now already in the forest and that Ray was with her. He knew she would go where he accidentally told her to go and that she'd also stop to nothing to save the dragon-slayer. He knew they were already a lot behind her as there was no transportation that would take them to Krein. The only way inside was by foot through the forest. They'd get there after her. But he also knew she was going head-on in a very dangerous mission. He knew her life was at stake. Each moment spent not searching for her meant she was closer to her death. He realised that if he wanted to save her, he needed them. They were the only way to bring Lucy back to safety.

"I decided" he said in a low voice, gathering their attention. "I'll tell you were she is heading. But with one condition"

Gray muttered in the back, annoyed at the old man playing around with them.

"What condition?" asked Erza quickly before Gray could do something reckless.

"You will take me with you." He answered simply.

Erza threw Gray and Juuvia a quick glance, not knowing what to do. Even Juuvia had a concerned expression on her face. Why was it that the pirate wanted to come with them? But Erza was smart enough to realise that he wouldn't say a thing about Lucy if they wouldn't respect his conditions. She gritted her teeth in annoyance and turned back to face him.

"Fine. You are coming with us. Where are we heading?" she expected him to put on a superior look that he managed to persuade them, but he just stood there, looking straight on, not paying them any attention.

"I'll tell you on the train"

* * *

While team Fairy Tail was heading to the railway, on the road to the Northern woods were two people, a girl and a boy. They've been walking for hours before one of them said anything. Back at the tavern, when they escaped with the boat leaving behind a person Lucy grew to trust, they had a fight. She wanted to jump back and help the man in battle but the boy refused to turn around, to help his master. She was angry at him for he left his master behind and run away. Through gritted teeth he told her it was what his captain ordered, he said he believed in him that he'll be fine. Every word he told her made her angrier. She had no real reason to be so angry at the boy who just respected his orders, but it annoyed her. The scarred man was yet another person who sacrificed himself for her. Not going back and helping him made her feel weak. The anger she had made her see too late the pain the boy had in his eyes, how hard it was for him also to respect his captain's will. It made her say odious words to the boy who left his master in order to save her. Ever since then, he said nothing to her. Ever since then, every passing moment spent in silence made her feel even more miserable. The only thing that stopped her from apologizing was the never-ending anger present in her heart. Anger not directed to the boy, but to her for being weak and unable to defend herself.

They anchored the small ship one day walk away from the Northern woods after half a day of rowing. Until that moment, there have been more than eighteen hours of complete silence that were on the verge of driving Lucy insane. Being alone with her thoughts, with nothing to kill her time with made her feel so bad with herself it hurt. For more than two hours her fists were clenched, her fingers were frozen while small strings of blood poured down on her pale hands.

The silence finally caught up with her. She threw a quick look at the boy walking next to her. His black hair fell over his black serpent-like eyes. He was a lot taller than her. Right now, walking next to her, Lucy couldn't give him more than eighteen years. First time she saw him, killing the bartender, he looked old so that in front of the captain to look small like a little kid. But right now, without any malicious smile on, he finally looked as his real age and it surprised her to realize he looked just a bit older than her. His gaze was lost in the distance, occasionally brushing the hair out of his eyes. He threw her no look at all and she felt relieved. She didn't want to have to look him in the eyes as she was going to say what she should've said so many hours ago.

"I am ..." But she didn't get to say as he cut her off immediately.

"It's okay. No need to worry. I understand your feelings." He smiled, looking as a kid again.

She smiled back, aware she should have said more, but relieved in the same time she hadn't. Silence surrounded them again, but this time it felt nice.

They continued walking, getting closer and closer to the forests. They had more than half a day left.

"You're a celestial mage right?" He suddenly asked, taking her by surprise.

He misunderstood the surprised look on her face and blushed.

"I saw you back there taking the key out. I don't know much about it though. Just stuff that Captain told me like the fact that you use keys to summon spirits which help you in battle" this surprised her once again that the captain knew that much about this rare magic, but then again she remembered he knew her mother.

"Well that's kind of it." She replied, smiling

"How many spirits do you have?" He asked, curious for new things

"Well, golden keys, ten." She answered

"But they are only twelve in total! I heard some can summon more at once. Can you do that?" All those questions, he was a kid at heart also. It amazed her how that boy killed the bartender so cold-hearted.

"I once managed to summon them all" she blushed

That left him mouth-open. For another few minutes they walked in silence. Lucy started to worry, thinking he maybe believed she was lying, trying to seem tougher.

Again that day he cut her off just as she was about to say something.

"Why do you think of yourself so low? Why do you consider yourself as weak?"

His words came as a complete surprise for her. He said it so abruptly.

"You think you're weak. I've seen it. You hated the fact that Captain stayed behind so you could escape. You hate being saved, depending on others. Your biggest desire is to be strong enough to be able to defend your friends. But you can already do it! Why don't you see it!? Captain told me stories of powerful mages. He told me about a strong friend of his, a celestial mage, your mother. He told me she had something enchanted about her. When she fought, it looked so dazzling. She was powerful. But what gave her her power was her love for her spirits which she fought alongside. He told me she was able to summon four spirits at most before collapsing. He told me that from what he heard and read in his journeys, the most was five. But you still can't see it, can you? You managed ten! Your spirits love you; I can see that of the way you talk about them. You are powerful!" He more yelled his last words at the dumbstruck Lucy. She just stood there, processing what the boy told her. She never thought about herself as powerful, never before. She thought she was an average celestial mage. His praises made her feel good without intention. It was as if he lit up a candle in a very dark room. The cold inside her started to melt. His words were right. She knew it but it was still hard to believe.

* * *

While Lucy was back in the Northern Woods, in Hargeon, in the port, near a dark ship were a few men talking. They were all covered in cloaks as they didn't want anybody to see them. They whispered around, afraid somebody could hear them, so the girl had a hard time listening to what they were saying. She has followed them ever since the square. For more than two hours, the pair of men wandered around the village, looking as if they were searching for something clueless. When the sun finally begun to set, they headed for the port where they met with a lot of others like them. Their whispering annoyed the girl. She could only catch parts of their conversations, parts that made no sense to her.

Suddenly, while she was leaning behind a box, trying to hear what they were saying, she heard the one whose voice she wanted to hear the most telling the others to stop.

The girl froze, afraid they might have discovered her. The voice whispered some orders to somebody and then continued whispering as nothing happened. The girl sighted in relief. She moved backwards, hiding better behind the boxes when she suddenly felt a hand gripping her hand and another one placed over her mouth. She was then pushed forward as she landed on her back in the middle of the now silent men. She quickly got up and tried to run when she froze in her tracks. The voice that haunted her dreams spoke again.

"Why are you following us?" he demanded. The girl just stood there and looked at him, dumbstruck, trying to see past the shadows that covered his face

"Answer him!" another voice echoed in the night. The girl looked around, scared.

"I... I don't know..." she whispered.

"Who are you?" the man asked again.

"I am Lisanna."

A pale breeze blew around them, throwing her hair in her eyes. While trying to push it away, she caught glance of pink under the man's hood. She stopped and looked happy at him, but it was too late as the wind was gone and there was nothing left for her to recognise. She started to believe she just imagined it. She wished so much for it to be true that she might as well have made it all up.

"Kill her" the coldness in his voice hurt her. She knew she shouldn't get hurt at what a stranger would say but somehow, that man there, every word he said stabbed her.

"Wait!" she yelled after him. It was now or never. This was her last chance to find him.

"What is it?" another hooded man asked, annoyed. A gun was already pointed at her head.

"I know where she is right now." She whispered, looking straight at the one whose voice she dreamed of. She saw his shoulders straining under the hood, his position hardening. He didn't turn around, not bothering to throw her a look when he finally answered "Take her with us. We'll meet at midnight" and then he left for the city, all on his own.

Lisanna wanted to follow him but she was pushed from behind, boarded on the dark ship. She couldn't oppose at all as she moved along with the other men, her gaze following the dark figure who was slowly disappearing from her sight.

The hooded man walked quickly through the empty streets, heading to a place he knew he went before too but it somehow seemed as if he didn't. He let his feet carry him as he thought of the white-haired mage. Thinking of her made his head hurt, thousands of memories and thoughts tried to make their way in his head. An invisible wall kept them outside but the immense number of them started to break it.

He finally got where he wanted. He was somewhere very high in the town, with a perfect panorama of the sea and port. That place brought back a memory he didn't know he had, a memory of himself standing right where he was right now, looking in the distance at a ship, feeling worried for someone inside.

The moment his thoughts reached the person he felt worried for, the wall suddenly grew larger, making his head hurt. Pictures of keys and spirits appeared. He suddenly started to shake; his hands were in his hair. Something inside him struggled to keep all those memories away. It hurt. It was as he was ripped open, as if everything was stolen from him. Who was he?

It could've been seconds or hours since he was there, it was all the same to him. He was gripping the wall, afraid he might fall. The war in his head was over. His past lost. The wall built inside him was too strong. The sight of the white-haired girl wasn't enough. He was back to his former empty shell. All the compassion and longing were gone. Everything inside him was soaked in darkness, the only flames still lit were the desire and hatred he had for his past nakama. For the celestial mage he was assigned to find at the cost of his life.

He walked back to the port as it was almost midnight. Still, something buried deep inside him cried.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Ok. So. I am really sorry, I don't think too many of you noticed but I kind of suck at updating too often. School, flu, bad internet connection, they all gathered. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

"You will have to talk with him at some point, you know?" Ray whispered as the two made their way through the dense forest. They reached it in midday and if Ray's approximations were okay, they'd reach Krein by nightfall.

"Yes I know." She sighted. "Better later"

"Yeah, like calling him in battle?"

"Okay okay you're right. I'll do it as soon as we stop for a break" she whispered back. Ray told her they should keep quiet in the forest as they don't know what might hear them. After she has told him everything that happened until that time, the only thing that stuck in his childish mind was the fact that she hasn't spoken to any of her spirits until now, afraid Loki might find out. This made him angry as a celestial mage, in his opinion, should always count on her spirits. Ever since the topic came up in their conversation, they've been arguing whether or not to call forth Loki and explain everything.

He suddenly stopped and turned around, blocking her way.

"Break time. Do it" he smiled

"Fine" she gritted her teeth and took her keys out. She chose a gold one, Leo's key. She stretched her hand in front of her and discovered annoyed that it was trembling. Why was she so afraid to call forth Loki? He would for sure yell at her for not calling him earlier, for doing such a reckless act, for joining arms with a pirate, a very dangerous pirate he would add, who killed cold-blooded an innocent man. Lucy looked at Ray for a second and shivered. Ever since they got stuck together in her heroic mission, he acted normal, always smiling and acting careless, as if the scene she witnessed never happened. And now, she had to speak with Loki, the one person she's been avoiding because Ray was right. It annoyed her but he was right. If she'd keep avoiding all her spirits so that none could tell Loki what happened, she would be useless in a battle, worse, call her spirits who would be too busy scolding her to fight.

She sighted and gripped the key tighter.

"Open gate to the Leo" She whispered. She quickly made a few steps behind and waited in silence as the tall figure of Loki appeared.

"Lucy! Are you okay?" He yelled as he quickly moved next to her, searching for anything wrong on her. He pulled her into a hug before she could answer and then let her go as quickly as he started.

"Why on Earth didn't you call me earlier?" He yelled again, exactly as Lucy thought he would. She let out a small chuckle and then immediately stopped as he saw the angry glare. But deep inside, behind that annoyance, his eyes were full with concern for the girl.

"I've tried forcing in my way but it simply wouldn't work! You've gotten stronger, that is" he looked at her in admiration and irritation that he couldn't reach her unless it was her will.

Lucy just stood there and looked at him surprised. She did nothing but acknowledge the fact that she was an over the average celestial mage. Was that what really made her stronger?

"You ran away from Fairy Tail, made them all worry and chase after you in order to find by yourself a bunch of very dangerous mages" he stopped and threw Ray a dangerous look. "Oh no. I forgot. You found yourself a pirate that kills innocent people to be your guidance. That. Is absolutely. Reckless. What if he kills you in your sleep?"

Lucy was about to take Ray's side and tell Loki he wasn't such a bad person when Ray's voice cut her off.

"She is the most courageous and powerful mage I've ever known. She is kind-hearted and would stop for nothing to save and bring back the people she loves. Truth be told, she was the only one of her guild to even try to bring back the boy. I don't mind you calling me a pirate, a murderer because I am and I'm not hiding it. But I do mind you yelling at the girl who worried every single second of her time for her guild she left behind, for the boy she adventured in finding blindly and for her spirits who she didn't want to worry." Ray looked serious, as how Lucy had never seen him. He started to feel sorry that he convinced the girl to call Loki.

She and Loki both stood there, dumbstruck, one of them amazed at how the boy felt about her and the other annoyed somebody else beside him felt like that for the girl.

Loki opened her mouth to argue but then he closed it back as he had nothing else to say. Ray was completely right. He was so worried he said horrible things. But he was also too proud to say he was wrong in front of a man who from now on he competed with. He turned around and started walking.

"I'm going to stay with you from now on!" He yelled at them and continued walking.

"You're going the wrong way!" Ray yelled back at him. They both watched as the spirit turned around and headed in the right direction. Lucy looked sad after him; Loki was a person she cared for a lot. She couldn't stand him getting mad at her, avoiding her. Not again.

She was about to go after him and talk with him when Ray caught her hand and turned her around.

"He is too proud to admit it. He loves you even more than you love him and he was really worried for you. He said some things he didn't mean. Don't be too harsh" he let go of her hand and waited for what he expected, a surprised face at his words, a mimic that would warm his heart, a smile of gratitude for caring about her so much. But he only saw sadness and impatience as she threw short looks after the spirit. She turned her head and looked in his dark green eyes and smiled.

"I know" she then turned around and ran after Loki who he hugged immediately. Ray stood behind and watched them hug, watched her as she smiled widely at the other boy. He wanted to smile at them, he wanted to feel happy that they resolved their problems but he just couldn't. Something inside him ached as he watched the girl, realizing he started to deeply care for her. She was already Loki's more than his, proof that she smiled wider around him.

He continued to follow them in silence, every step aching even more as he watched them go. Why was it that it hurt so much? He never felt that kind of pain, never before.

It was a pain for Lucy also to walk the next few hours as the boys would completely ignore each other, trying to win Lucy on their side, occasionally attacking each other with words. Lucy felt as if their personalities were changed, Ray, instead of being the calm, always smiling boy she grew to know, was now angry and brutal all the time, ignoring Loki's jokes about him, and always staying close to Lucy, while Loki changed from being that good person she'd trust with her life to an overly protective friend who would constantly try to move in front of Ray, pushing him away, making bad jokes about him. It all made Lucy sad, but not as much as it angered her. Each step she took followed by the arguing boys made her anger grow bigger and bigger, as to finally explode when Loki said another bad joke.

"We've been walking for a few hours now, it will be dark in an hour or so and from what Lucy told me, you said we'd be there by nightfall. I don't see any village around." He finished and continued walking, muttering for himself but loud enough for everybody to hear him "That's what you get for trusting a pirate. Murderer. Criminal. You disgust me..."

He wasn't able to finish his sentence when a strong fist hit him in the face. He fell on his back and looked around disoriented, finally setting his eyes on the angry pirate in front of him. He got up immediately and was about to strike back when a soft hand gripped his. Lucy was between them, their hands gripped by hers. He expected to see her teary at the fact that they fought but he was completely taken by surprise by her anger. She was trembling, her teeth gritted.

"What on Earth are you doing, Loki, Ray?!" She let go of their hands and made a few steps behind. Unlucky for them, she didn't finish. "You know how much I care about you Loki but I will close your gate if I have to. Stop being such an asshole with Ray! And you Ray, I appreciate everything you've done for me but I won't like it if you ever hit again any my friends." Loki gritted through his teeth but immediately put on a smile

"Anything for you" Lucy then turned around her head to look Ray in his eyes but he was looking at the sky. He slowly turned around and smiled in his malicious way and with a serpent-like voice he imitated Loki. "Anything for you"

Their road continued in silence ever since then, exception being Loki's occasionally mutters. Lucy threw quick glances to Ray but he went back to his usual self, always smiling and calm, staying a lot behind them.

The sun was a bright colour of red and orange when they finally reached Krein. Lucy sighted in relief as she saw lights glowing in the distance. They finally managed to reach it. It was a long and exhausting trip, but she finally reached Krein, the place which will bring her closer to Natsu.

The thought of Natsu was so present now in her mind that it hurt. The past days she didn't let herself think of him as it would distract her, make her sad and frustrate her that they still had more to go. Now that she was so close to the village the scarred man told her about, so close to a man who could tell her where to find Natsu, she felt her heart pounding faster. They were a few miles left until the lights in the distance but they felt as thousands.

Krein was a very small village completely surrounded by hills covered in woods. Being such a small village and due to its location, trains never came to it, making it only be reachable by foot. A mountain pass was made and for few years, people went and passed through there. But it not lasted long. Bandits made of those woods their home, killing anybody who passed. Many guilds were asked to take care of them but with all their effort, bandits never ceased to exit. The villagers in Krein, one by one, left their home. Krein became ever since then a village of bandits. A dangerous village that'll bring them closer to Natsu.

Loki took her hand and they walked together the last miles. They reached the top of the last hill in no time and the three of them watched in horror the scenery under them.

The lights they saw in the distance came from the burning village under them. The not many houses that were in the village were now ruins, burning in the setting sun.

"As I thought, it was too easy passing the forests." Ray muttered before taking out his knives. For a second Lucy forgot all about the horrible scenery going on under her and watched in awe as four knives appeared in Ray's hands, each of them was being held gently and in perfect balance.

"Lucy, hurry! There might be survivors!" Loki yelled at her, already running down the hill.

"Come" Ray also added and the three of them hurried down, running through the ruins.

The girl followed them closely, but her mind was set on only one thing, a thing she wished with all her heart it wasn't true.

In a few seconds, they already reached the centre of the village, fire and smoke surrounding them, ruins all around, shadows in the dark moving, long yells in the distance. But no matter how much they tried and find anybody, they couldn't.

Lucy's eyes were teary and she started to cough. She looked around her in despair, realizing her only trace disappeared. She was about to let out a cry when Loki jumped on top of her and threw her on the ground, her back aching, just in time for her to see a sharp knife landing just where her head used to be.

"What the hell...?!" Loki yelled at Ray. He immediately got up, his fist was shinning bright, prepared to punch the other boy, when another knife flew past Loki's head, far from Lucy as well, and hit something in the shadows behind them, something that let out a terrible groan.

Loki and Ray quickly made their way to where the sound came from and returned, carrying a man, more a corpse than a human, blood and wounds covered his body. By the looks of it, he didn't have much left.

The man's eyes moved frantically around, as if searching for something, but focusing on nothing, when they suddenly stopped on Lucy. She was watching from where Loki left her laying on the ground, her eyes widened in shock at the morbid view, some horrid fascination making her eyes stick to the man.

"What happened here?" asked Loki, impatiently.

"Beautiful Day... Suddenly... Fire... They came in a balloon... He landed... Fire everywhere... Please save ... "

His eyes suddenly stopped moving. Lucy let out a yell and ran to the man, starting to shake him up.

"Quick Loki, do something, he needs help or he'll..."

"He's already dead." Ray cut her off. She threw him an angry look, tears rolling down her dirty cheeks. Why was he so insensible all of a sudden?

Loki gently unfolded her hands from the man's clothes and helped her stand up.

"Come on, let's find clean air" They started to walk towards the exit when Ray suddenly froze, his eyes widened in shock, his hand in mid-air, his knives on the verge of being thrown. Loki also stopped and placed himself before the blonde girl, taking a fighting stance.

Around them, emerging from the shadows, circling them, around fifty hooded persons appeared, all pointing a gun towards the three.

"Put down your knives" one of them yelled at Ray. The boy slowly bent with the intention to put them down then, in the last second, he turned around and threw eight of them directly at their heads. He only had eight left, but unlucky for him, there were forty more, all armed with guns, guns that could kill with a shot before their magic could even completely flow.

A hooded man suddenly pointed his gun at Ray's feet and shot, making him yell in pain while crumbling to the ground, a dark circle of blood forming on his pants above his knee.

"Ray!" Lucy yelled, as she quickly ran at him.

Loki was yelling at her to come back behind him, she was concentrating on Ray who's groans sent shivers down her spine, while a little part of her mind was trying to force the gate, to send Loki back before anything could happen to him also.

"Looks like you were good for something after all..." a new voice echoed through the chaos around them, a voice that somehow made everybody stop. Lucy listened hypnotised at the voice, somehow recognizing it, but not well enough.

From behind the row of men appeared another hooded man, closely followed by girl, a girl Lucy knew all too well. This time, she looked completely different from how she last saw her, her face was pale, her eye-lids were purple, her lips were dry, and her hair was already long and fell constantly in her eyes. But that wasn't what scared Lucy, but the empty look in her eyes, emptiness surrounded at the corners by fear, eyes that only lit a little when the hooded man spoke.

"Lisanna...?" Lucy whispered.

* * *

"Hurry up!" Erza yelled at Gray who was running behind her. They were walking through the forest; it was already dark when they heard the explosion. Fearing the worst, Erza left behind Mei and Scar, guarded by Juuvia, and started running towards the village, closely followed by the other mage, as the kid and the old man were slowing them down. They were to return to them as soon as they finished in Krein.

Erza saw first the lights in the distance, but unlike Lucy before, she realized immediately they weren't good. She equipped as she was running, letting her magic embrace her, dress her in her Flight Armour, making her run faster than she did before, as she was flying.

She reached Krein a lot before Gray so the only thing that took the boy by surprise was the ruined city, in few places a small fire burning and not at all the fact that in the centre of the village was a pile made by Erza of dead bodies.

She was back in her normal armour when Gray came. She threw him a sad glance then continued placing the men. She quickly equipped her Flame Empress Armour, the black and red armour covering her body. She made a quick move and shot fire at the pile, making it erupt in flames, then turned around and walked over to Gray who stood a few feet behind, looking uninterested, but Erza could see the stiffness in his shoulders. At the sight of all that fire that brought forth so many painful memories, the only calm medicine his mind could find was rain. It annoyed it how a few drops of imaginary water could be so good for him.

"Any survivors?" Gray asked as Erza passed him and headed towards the forest.

"None I could find" he heard her voice long after her body already disappeared in the dark woods. The ice-mage was about to follow her when a distant sound caught his attention. Without his intention he turned around and headed towards the faint sound. It came from under some large rocks that seemed to cover a body, or what could be said to look like one. He tried lifting with all his might but couldn't. He sighted in annoyance and called after the girl.

The Titania heard him and immediately came back and with their joined forces they lifted the rocks off of what now looked as a boy their age that was holding tight his foot as a dark spot covered his pants.

"Help me with him. Let's take him back to Juuvia" Erza said as she and Gray both took one of the boy's arms and carefully made their way back.

"Let me go after them! Please! They might need me!"Mei begged Juuvia as the three stood and waited for the two mages to return.

"Gray-sama is a very strong mage. He certainly doesn't need help! But maybe Juuvia should go, what if something happens to Gray-sama? Juuvia should go and help them but then Erza-san would most certainly kill Juuvia for leaving them alone. Ahhh poor Gray-sama?!" she yelled at the wind while tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Mei slowly walked past her, taking the opportunity as she was to occupied with her decision whether to stay or not. He crawled through the shadows and was almost lost in them, disappearing in the forest when a harsh voice whispered only for him to hear.

"Kid, don't. There are still bandits out there. If they'd restrain from attacking two mages, I am not so sure of a little kid like you. Moreover, you'd get lost only after fifty meters." The scarred-man chuckled, sending chills down the little boy's spine.

The boy wanted to counterattack and tell the old man to leave him alone when he froze dead in his tracks at the sudden realization of the fact that the old man just talked to him. What if he realized? Up until now, the scarred man acted as if he didn't even know there was a kid with them for to suddenly get preoccupied at the fact that the boy wanted to run away? Was it that the old man knew who he was? Was it that he saw it?

Just as the boy had his internal struggle, Erza and Gray burst in through the dense trees, landing on the ground, a body falling next to them. The little boy gritted his teeth at the sight of the mages, realizing the old man just got his attention in order to keep him there when the mages would come, few seconds after. He threw an angry glare at the old man but he was surprised, or better said, not at all surprised, to see the scarred man looking straight at the body on the ground, concern covering his features.

He suddenly stood up and bent down next to the body, shaking it up violently,

"Where is she? What happened? You were supposed to stay with her and help her! What on earth happened?" the last question was addressed to the two mages that looked at him in shock, seeing as the old man knew the boy. But before any of them could tell him anything from what has happened, the boy spoke up.

He had his malicious smile on, but his face was pale while sweat was pouring down his face. "Captain. Happy seeing you again. I couldn't end the mission. Looks like you'll need a new pupil" he grinned, but the pain and guilt were clear in his eyes as he fell in unconsciousness.

"What's the meaning of all of this?!"Erza yelled at the old man.

"I have absolutely no idea"..."he answered in shock, staring at the boy.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Ok, so I'm sorry for making you wait. Terrible week. Again, I wanted to thank all of you who read this, it makes me so happy. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

_"A classic strategy isn't so bad after all. Well, be good!" she smiled at the in pain Jose as she quickly hurried to the door, her arms tied at her back._

_As she was about to go through the opened door, a laugh echoed around her, Jose's maniacal laugh. Lucy looked down under her feet, at the highness of her cell, at how one more step could've brought her to her death. She stood there, frozen as Jose's voice surrounded her._

_"Pity isn't it? This is our sky prison" laughed the master of Phantom Lord as he tried to get up. He started to make his way to Lucy, stretching his arm, trying to pull back the girl who stayed dangerously close to the edge._

_"Now come to me. It's punishment time... I have to teach you the atrociousness of the Phantom..." he hissed as he got closer. Lucy was trembling in rage, trying to make a decision. Her body was balancing back and forth, hesitating. Suddenly, she caught a whisper; a whisper she immediately thought was just her imagination. Still, something inside her believed in that whisper._

_She closed her eyes and in the amazed scream of Jose, let herself fall quickly to her death. She felt the air around her opposing, hurting, cutting her as she fell, relying on a belief._

_She watched the earth gaining ground, thinking of nothing else but how painful the fall will be. She looked around her, wondering why she was falling so quickly. Was it that she made a mistake, was it that her faith in him was bigger than reality? Was she craving so much for him that when in trouble, her mind imagined his voice, her heart making her do stupid things guided by unfunded beliefs? She smiled as she realised that if she were to die today, she'll at least die faithfully, in a lie, but faithfully._

_Suddenly, while watching the images around her blur, her eyes froze on something close yet far from her. The moment her eyes fell on it, everything around her slowed, making her fall so slow she felt as if she was floating. In the distance, watching with an unmoved expression was a person, a person in a long black cloak, with the hood falling on his back. Pale rays of sun shun through his rosy hair, throwing shadows on his cold empty face. He looked at her from there, with no regret, no sadness, no movement towards her at all. He just watched his once called friend fall to her death with no intention to interact, or at least even try._

_Her eyes got teary as she looked at him, not understanding why he was so cold towards her, why he wasn't feeling sorry or torn, at least. He just watched her blankly, letting the wind curl through his robes,_

_She let out a yell of rage as she called out his name, while everything went back to normal, the air once again cutting her. She knew now she was right. He was there. He came. But not to save her. Just to look her in the eyes, enjoy her death. She put up a hard expression, wanting him to remember her as strong and determined till the end. She looked straight at him as she got closer and closer, a little part of her craving for recognition, the other part knowing she'll get none. She never for a second closed or took her eyes away as she rolled into darkness._

Lucy suddenly opened her eyes in a convulsion as her body got used to its surroundings. She looked around her puzzled and alarmed, with a name on her lips that she did not dare to say.

She was lying in a dark cell, lighted only by a pale ray of light that came from the little hole in the door. It was cold and damp, sending chills down her spine. It took a few moments for her to accommodate to the darkness around her, but as her eyes got used to it she started to see around her the outline of the small cell that had nothing else inside except her and a few rocks gathered in a corner.

Her heart rate suddenly started to rise as she had a déjà vu, the cell bringing back memories from her past and dream. She immediately got up and happily realized her hands were free, not tied at her back as before. The next thing she did was unconsciously move her hands at her belt, in search of her keys. As her fingers touched nothing but thin air, she started to shiver, realizing they took her keys. She made a few steps and cautiously looked through the small hole. In front of her cell was a row of many other cells that looked empty. Still, moans and groans echoed from them, accompanied by inhuman sounds. She sighted in relief; she at least didn't have a gap right under her door. She quickly made a few steps back, wanting to put as much space between her and the door as possible. She felt the cold wall press against her back as her vision started to get blurry due to the tears that threatened to fall. She had her fists clenched; her gaze lost as a small yell made its way out her lips, then echoed through the now silent cells. She raised her hands and placed them in her hair, afraid to take her look from the door as someone could barge in and kill her any moment.

The last events before she fell unconscious started to run around her mind, making her shiver. She remembered how they were circled, how Ray was shot while trying to protect her, how he was left behind as they made their way to the balloon, how she forced close Loki's gate before anything bad could happen to him too, she recalled the angry look on his face as he disappeared, she recalled the man in the dark cloak, she recalled Lisanna. _Lisanna._

Her eyes opened wide as she remembered the white-haired mage, the lost expression on her face, the way she moved automatically, as if she couldn't control what she was doing. Another person barged in her mind, a person with dark hair and green eyes, a person that was shot and left behind, a person she realised that by now is dead. The boy's image was quickly followed by the one of his captain, person who stayed behind so Lucy could escape, a person who was probably dead by now. Another victim on the list. She even let down her mom, whose blood and legacy she was carrying, only to fall into the hands of the people her mother tried to run away from most.

She started to cry violently, cursing at the walls, yelling at whoever was listening to her. She finally broke, after so many days of keeping it all in, she finally broke. Her sobs were shaking her violently as she thought about how many lives were needed to be sacrificed before she could accomplish her selfish desires. Because that's what they were, selfish desires. She went after Natsu, in search of him, comforting herself she was doing it for everybody, when in fact, she was doing it for herself, as she finally accepted she couldn't live without him by her side. She let out another scream, the irony of the situation annoying her, how she needed to look death in the eyes before she could finally acknowledge it.

Now they've captured her, their plan could finally take place. She'd led herself straight into the enemy's arms, being now a danger to everybody if she was to believe what Gildarts said. They will all suffer from her recklessness. She was the only one to blame. Now they had both parties for their plan.

_Both parties_. Lucy gasped as she suddenly realised the truth that was lurking around all that time. The scarred man told her they needed a dragon-slayer for the ritual besides her blood. He told her that dragon-slayer was Natsu. She was now closer to him that she ever was before. She started to laugh ironically at the situation, that she had to lose so many people when she could just have let them catch her. But then again, that would mean the end of everything they knew. Those two thoughts kept fighting each other, none of them wanting to fade, making Lucy want to scream yet again.

She was about to let herself fall down on the floor when she heard footsteps. She quickly brushed her tears and stood straight, with a determined look on her face that whoever comes through that door won't get a chance to get out at least before she got some answers.

The footsteps stopped right in front of her door and Lucy sighted, preparing herself. She quickly positioned herself behind the door, so she could attack the person that came in immediately. Her heart started to beat faster, as she was afraid of the outcome, she didn't have her keys or her whip: she was unarmed. She kept her breath and silently waited for the visitor to come in.

After a few moments in which the guest stood at the door, hesitating, the door slowly sprung open as a fragile person walked in with a tray. Lucy watched in horror as the light from the hall shun on the other person's white hair.

Lisanna looked around the room, terrified as she didn't see Lucy, already thinking what he'll do and say if he found out she disappeared in her watch. She was about to turn around when she froze as she heard Lucy's voice from behind her.

"Lisanna… What are you doing here...?" the celestial spirit mage whispered, coming out from the shadows, approaching the frozen girl.

Lisanna trembled as she didn't know what to do. She got herself into this, yes, but she also got Lucy in it. And as much as she hated Lucy, she felt responsible, she was now a traitor. But she would never admit the way she felt, not in front of her, not in front of anyone. They would kill her in an instant if they'd found out she cared for Lucy. He would kill her in an instant. _He_wouldn't hesitate or feel sorry. Still, he was the reason she came and betrayed her family. She believed that somewhere inside him the person she loved still existed. Even if everybody would hate her, even if she'd have to make thousands of sacrifices, she'll get him back; make him tell her what he promised so much time before.

She turned around to face Lucy, her expression hardened. She decided.

"It is none of your business." She watched the hurt expression on Lucy's face, and even though it brought a knife through her heart, she didn't let her façade down. She continued her charade.

"I'll bring you food twice a day and in between, come and take you out for a few minutes so you can satisfy your needs." Lisanna continued, trying to ignore as much as possible the other girl.

"How long am I going to be here? When is it starting?" Lucy asked, in a soft voice, realizing she lost the match.

Lisanna watched her in shock. She knew why she was here. This made it even harder as she won't be able to lie to her.

"I don't know." She answered plainly and placed the tray on the ground, watching with a disgusted face how spiders crawled around the cell. She got up and without throwing any other look towards the girl; she went out and closed the door behind her. But she didn't do it quickly enough. Lucy had enough time to see what Lisanna had strapped at her belt. Something that made Lucy have to stay put and not stretch her arm and get them back. Something that just made escaping a lot easier and harder in the same time. She now knew where her keys were. Unlucky for her, they were at a person who'd never give them willingly.

Lucy let out a yell of rage as she started making circles around her small cell, trying to think of a plan. She had to get out of there and get her keys back so she could have even the tiniest chance to save Natsu. _And Lisanna_. She had to save them both. But it was hard. The only way she could think of was ally with Lisanna, but that was a lost cause. Lucy knew at once when she saw her in Krein Lisanna was now in a very dangerous game, one where she'd do anything so she could have Natsu back for her own. Lucy thought she would even give up on Natsu for herself and help Lisanna bring him back for her but she knew the white-haired mage wouldn't agree to that. Lisanna wanted Natsu all for herself.

Suddenly, as she was walking around her room, an idea came to her mind. It wasn't perfect, but it might just work... Lisanna was now a major piece in her plan. She needed her so she can bring back Natsu. Plus, they needed her alive and healthy. She let out a small sight, relieved that it wasn't all useless. Relieved that she still had a small fragile thread to cling to. She calculated there were a few more hours until Lisanna will come back after her so she sat down and closed her eyes, letting herself fall asleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, a lot above Lucy's dark, cold cell, in a large, richly decorated room, was a table, a round, golden table, covered with many and eye-taking food. The walls were covered in long black curtains, not letting the sun pass, making it difficult for anybody inside to say whether it was day or night. Long candles hung on the walls, throwing long rays of light in the darkness. Around the room, placed close to the walls so they could go undetected, were men dressed in black robes that stood still, as if they were statues supervising everything inside the room.

At the table, sitting equally far away from each other were four men, each eating in silence, occasionally throwing glances to each other, as if inviting one another to speak first. Three of them were dressed in grey robes, as the men near the walls, just that the colour differentiated. Only the fourth looked unnatural, different from the others, with his dark blue robe that fell around his shoulders. He was the only one that did not seem to take notice of the tensed atmosphere, eating peacefully from his plate, throwing not even a look at the men around him.

"How much time left…?" finally one of the men asked, looking at who seemed to be the leader.

The blue-robed man suddenly put his hood on, making his long face be covered by shadows and with a curt sign of his hand, made the other three put theirs on too.

"Why..?"One of them tried to ask but was cut short by the leader, completely ignored.

"Not much, my friend. You know we have to wait until the full moon is out. That's when the drop will be most accurate. Our calculations are that in a week time we will have our goals achieved." he answered the first man with a calm voice that brought chills down their spines.

"And what about the boy?"Asked the man who was previously cut off. "Does he know what'll happen to him?"

"No he doesn't know. He just knows that I will need him again in the near future. He'll do anything that I'll tell him. He is not the problem. She is."

"We still don't have her?" asked the man who kept silent until then, with an angry tone.

"Patience, my friend. We will have her soon" he answered, but different from before, a death intention sparkled in his eyes and voice. The man who talked gulped as he trembled in fear.

Suddenly, the doors of the room opened, letting warm light invade the room. The light shone, letting them only see a shadow where the visitor stood as he was completely covered in them. The doors after him closed, letting the room be covered in darkness once again.

The person that entered stopped at the front, looking from under his hood at the men around the table, finally fixing his view on the blue-coloured one. He made a small bow.

"Master. We found her. She is locked in one of the cells in the dungeon; Lisanna is the one responsible with the well-being of the girl now." The boy told him in short and precise answers, not wanting to waste too much of his time in that room.

"Well done, my boy. I knew I could count on you. You may leave now and rest." The leader told him.

The boy bowed again then turned around and headed to the door, but was stopped by the master's voice.

"Boy!" he called the kid. Seeing he stopped, he continued. "How are they? Can you bear them?" _The memories_ he heard in his head.

Suddenly, the boy's possessed mind started to hurt. The past him started to fight his way out, trying to answer before the builder of the walls could. The boy felt his head about to explode. He knew he was staying too much there, not answering. He had to do it quick.

Suddenly, his lips moved on his own, forming and whispering the words "They're fine". The small part of his past, realizing it had won, retreated back to the depth of the boy's head, letting the walls angry. The boy turned around and walked out before he could be asked any more questions.

"I told you we will have her soon" the blue-dressed man said after the boy left.

"Then why is it she is a problem?" one of the men asked, wondering why a girl could cause any problems at all after being locked and treated that way. "She is harmless right? Without her keys, she has no magic."

"Well that there is the problem. You underestimate her. She has so much magic inside her, left from her mother; she could easily rival that of mine or the dragon-slayer's. But there is a good thing about it after all."

"And what could it possibly be?!"The man shouted in fear at the thought of the girl having powers as big as their leader's.

"She does not know about them yet." The man stated firmly, ending the discussion as he took another bite from his food.

* * *

Again, walking without direction through the halls of the castle was the boy from before, the one responsible of Lucy's capture. After he got away from the horrible room, he walked aimlessly, his mind simply possessing his actions and thoughts. After the rebellious wave his past made earlier, the walls inside him grew even larger, trying to build them away, keep them as far as possible. The effort made by the past was immense; now that small part was tired, opposing no resistance to the wall's actions. Still, before they could completely disappear, the boy managed to get a glimpse of them. Now, the internal struggle he was bearing grew even bigger, threatening to explode any moment.

As he was walking aimlessly, he managed to reach his room. It was a small cupboard-like room with only a bed and a window, but the boy didn't care. He opened the red door and walked in, only to find surprised on his bed a dirty backpack.

He was about to yell after someone to come and explain the meaning of it when he suddenly realized it was open. Curiosity, an emotion he wasn't allowed to feel, got the best of him. He opened the bag completely and took out a few pairs of clothes, girl clothes, he threw away. Just as he was about to yell, annoyed that a dirty backpack full of girl clothes was on his bed, when his fingers touched something hard. He slowly took it out and discovered in surprise it was a frame. He turned it around so he could see the picture.

Suddenly, his hands froze as he watched in awe the picture. It was of four persons and a cat. A crimson-haired girl who looked dangerous stayed in the right. A black-haired shirtless boy looked terrified from under the girl's hand. A blue cat stayed in front of them, smiling. Next to the black-haired boy was a blonde, a tall and beautiful girl who laughed from all her heart. _It is her._He stared at the girl for a long time before he could take his eyes off. Next to the blonde girl, with a hand around his head and a huge grin on his face was a boy with rosy hair he knew all too well. He gasped in shock at the photo, realizing it was her backpack. An uncharacteristic impulse made him open the frame and take the picture out to look at it closer. He turned it around and looked, surprised, at the small drawing there, some badly drawn doodles of the faces of the person's in the picture. There was the redhead and under her drawing, written with a poor handwriting, _Erza._ Next there was the cat and under it wrote _Happy-me._ The boy realized it was the cat that drew it. Next was the black-haired boy and his name, _Gray_ and next to him the blonde, _Lucy._The boy stared for a few moments at the names of all those people, names that started to correspond to images and memories that crawled through under the walls. After he finally could take his eye off the blonde, he finally looked at the pink-haired. Even in that drawing, he was grinning. The boy finally let his eyes fall on the name of that boy. He read it for so many times before he could take his eyes off it.

"So that's my name… Natsu…" he whispered for himself as the walls started to crumble again.

He stood in his room, with the frame in his hands for many hours, simply staring at his name. The battle in his head was still going on, but slowly his past lost. Like it always did. The walls were simply too strong. They took possession of the boy's mind once again, trying to wash away the newly formed memories. But this time, they had to fight a stronger rival. It weren't the past's memories anymore, now they were the boy's. And even after they managed to erase everything, a picture was persistent in the boy's mind, a picture of his former self, a picture of his name. He couldn't forget that.

After his head cleared, he felt the need to move once again. He walked out of his room and aimlessly through the castle, when he bumped into someone he didn't expect to see.

The white-haired mage was standing in front of him, staring right at him with big eyes. The boy realized he had his hood off, the girl never seeing him before without it. He quickly put it on, throwing Lisanna out of her trance.

She blushed and started to apologize while cleaning the mess she created when he bumped over her tray.

"Stay in my way one more time and I'll kill you" he stated harshly then turned around after he saw her nod. He was about to leave when he heard a short sob from behind him. He quietly turned around and looked at the girl. She was standing on the floor, surrounded by fallen food, with tears falling down her face, a hand placed on her chest, where her heart was, as if it pained her.

The boy couldn't explain to him what happened next but a kind sadistic state possessed him. He made a few steps to her and helped her up in one move, as the next move was pushing her to the wall, with one hand around her waist, the other on her cheek. His hood fell off and now his onyx eyes were staring straight in her blue ones.

"Never cry in my presence or I'll kill you" he whispered in her ear.

Suddenly, before he could change his mind, he crushed his lips onto hers, taking her completely by surprise. Lisanna could do nothing, just watch him in shock, feel where his hands touched her body, where his lips touched hers as if lava was crawling there. She knew he wasn't conscious of what he was doing but it felt good.

"What's my name?" the boy suddenly asked, taking her completely by surprise. He was inches away from her but she saw it in his eyes that it was over. She saw it in his eyes that it meant nothing for him. It was just one of his pleasures, one of his games. He enjoyed it, just as much as he, recently, enjoyed killing people. Suddenly, before she could stop them, tears started falling from her eyes. The boy backed away fiercely from her. She looked at the fragile girl crying in front of him and something in his heart ached. Lisanna saw that change in his eyes, how the disgust was replaced by hatred, hatred of himself and his actions. She stretched out a trembling hand, wanting to console him. But before she could, again, the boy brutally backed away, looking at Lisanna with scared eyes.

"Your name is Natsu…"she answered him, while erasing her tears. He shuddered as he heard his name. He raised his head and looked her in the eyes, wanting to say something, when the picture appeared in his head. He saw himself holding tight to the blonde girl. He saw her smile, her chocolate eyes.

"Lucy…"he whispered, while looking through the hurt and shocked Lisanna."What cell is she? I need to see her!" he started to shake the crying girl.

"Last one…" she whispered as she fell on the ground, tears streaming down her face, as she watched the boy run away. The difference this time was they were tears of anger. She got up, knowing what she had to do. She didn't stay to clean up; she started running, but in another direction as the boy. Every step she made brought her closer to the table room.

* * *

Somewhere far away from the castle, in the forests that surrounded the ruined city of former Krein, was a group of six people, four of them gathered around the fifth that lay unconscious on the ground.

After they found Ray, Erza and Gray were in a continuous argument, as one insisted they should wait to see what the shot boy had to say while the other just wanted to leave and find his teammates. Juvvia stayed silent, unnatural for her, looking sad in the direction of the arguing mages. The scarred man was standing next to the hurt boy, a shocked expression on his face that didn't leave him ever since the mages brought his pupil.

The sixth person, a little white-haired boy, was staying far away from the others as possible, looking straight at the unconscious boy, with concerned and widened eyes. His secret would be revealed the moment that boy woke up.

While the scarred man watched the unconscious boy, a thought came to his mind, finally bringing him out of his state. Suddenly, he realized they had to move. And quick.

"We have to get him to a hospital! Come on, stop arguing, and help me!" he told the others as he started to grab the boy's hands.

Erza threw a quick look to Gray then moved and grabbed the boy's feet.

"I'm not sure that'll help" Gray whispered from behind them.

"What do you mean? We are going to the hospital to take the bullet out! If we don't, he'll die!" the man started to get angry. If Ray could've seen him now, he would be surprised by the care the man had for him.

"They can't do anything at the hospital. That bullet already disappeared from his body."

"But... How?" Scar asked surprised, not understanding how it could.

"It is a magic bullet" Erza answered before Gray. "The moment they infiltrate the body, they explode, creating a bigger wound, but that wouldn't be the problem. The thing is, magic pours out and if not taken out in two days, it destroys the body from within."

"Even if it's magic, we still have to go to the hospital…"

"No! Didn't you understand anything? That magic destroys the body! If it touches anything, it destroys it! …" Gray started to yell, annoyed more and more with each passing second.

"Gray." Erza interrupted him, throwing him a dangerous look as to shut up. She then turned her head to look at the scarred man and added "The only way to take out a bullet like that is by a person specialized in guns magic." she then turned her head to look at Juuvia and Gray and added for them "Not even Porlyusica could heal him" Juuvia's eyes widened in shock that there was something the old grumpy granny couldn't heal while Gray just huffed, wanting to leave as soon as possible.

"And where can we find a gun's magic user…?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

Erza smiled at the concerned man "In Fairy Tail, of course"

Both the little boy and the man watched Erza in shock at the thought of going in a magic legal guild.

"What? No! We can't go back to Fairy Tail yet! We haven't found them. We don't know how much time is left until the ritual will take place, it can be anytime. We have to find them!" Gray yelled, desperately at Erza.

"We don't have a choice…"Erza started but was cut short by Scar.

"The ritual only happens on a full moon."

"But that is in a week!" Juuvia squeaked. Gray and Erza looked at each other, then at the man.

"Do you know what the ritual is about?" Erza asked him quick, before Gray could start yelling again.

"Only what Layla told me." The three shudder at the mention of Lucy's mother. "The ritual needs a dragon-slayer and an heir of Layla's. They have them both already." Gray gulped, horror could be read on his face. The scarred man never told them what the ritual was about, just that they needed Lucy for it. "The thing is, they need something to complete the ritual that I believe to be impossible to achieve."

"What is it? Tell us!" Erza ordered.

"Well, moon-drip." The man didn't expect to see the shocked faces of the two. They were both staring at each other, with Juuvia looking straight at them.

"Galuna Island…" Gray whispered, to the puzzlement of those who heard him.

"The island of the demons" Erza added, not clearing anything for the others.

"Come. We have a week." Gray bought them out of their state as he took the boy's body and started walking, closely followed by the others.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

Levy had been in the guild for more than five hours, pacing back and forth between the tables. She was exhausted. They received the message in the middle of the night. All of the guild members were immediately informed by Makarov, and despite the late hour, every single one of them showed up.

The message was short, sent from Hargeon. It said they were coming back. And that was all. Hargeon was only two hours ride from Magnolia. They should've been there by now.

The blue-haired mage was concerned, anxious and nervous all in the same time. She wanted to see them as soon as possible. She wanted to see if they found Lucy. But that lateness didn't characterize them. Erza was never late. Something must have happened.

Gajeel on the other hand, sitting at a table next to her, was completely calm and relaxed. He didn't care, or didn't show that he cared, at all. He was half sleeping, occasionally raising his head and throwing annoyed looks at Levy who wouldn't stop moving.

Suddenly, Levy let out a huge groan as her fists clenched. She was looking at the clock, concern written all over her face.

This was the most Gajeel could stand. He immediately stood up and walked next to her, grabbing the attention of everybody around.

"Shrimp" he groaned. But Levy ignored him, continuing to stare at the clock. This annoyed Gajeel even more. "Stop pacing around! I am trying to sleep!" he groaned

Suddenly. Levy turned her head and looked straight at him, with the darkest glare she ever had. "What?" she groaned back. Gajeel backed away, looking in amazement at the little girl. Nobody but Erza could be so scary.

Levy continued her pacing and Gajeel returned back to his table, in the malicious looks of Jet and Droy. He turned his head and threw them an angry glare, but he didn't manage to yell at them because the doors of the guild burst open, with Gray walking in front, his face solemn and sad. He was carrying somebody, somebody hid from their view. He threw a quick look around the guild, as if searching for somebody. When his eyes finally saw who they were looking for, Erza walked in, imposing as usual, but with a serious mine. She threw Gray a quick glance and, without hesitation, she made a few steps towards the counter, where Mira stood, watching surprised.

"Mira-san. Where is Master?" she asked, with no formality at all. Mirajane was so surprised at their sight that it took her a few moments to answer, few moments that didn't matter as Erza, receiving no information, turned around and made her way up the stairs, to Master's office.

Gray didn't stay too much either. He made his way to the stairs, but going downstairs, with that somebody who now could be recognized as a young man on his back. He was taking him to the infirmary.

Juuvia walked in just as Gray disappeared downstairs. She threw him a quick glance then quickly made her way to a corner of the room and stopped in front of somebody completely unexpected.

"Biska-sama. Alzack-sama. Please follow me downstairs. „She whispered to the two western mages. She turned around and disappeared after Gray, leaving behind a room full of confused mages. Biska and Alzack looked at each other for a brief moment then stood up and followed the others, feeling puzzled as to why they were needed.

The mages that remained needed a few seconds before they could realise what just happened. The first one to speak was Gajeel, who let out a loud swear, looking puzzled and annoyed at everybody around. Levy couldn't agree more with him, but her ethics stopped her.

Before they knew it, they all started talking, one with another, all around, trying to figure out what happened. Mirajane went downstairs to try and find out but came back with a dark gloom, as they locked the door.

Due to the loud mess, they noticed the two last newcomers a second too late, as they were already in the middle of the room, looking around disorientated.

At the sight of the two, everybody stopped and silence surrounded them. In the middle of the room were an old man, with his face scarred, and ripped in a grotesque way and a little boy, sitting right next to him, looking around the room with huge scared eyes. He looked quickly at the ground, afraid the mages will see him, sense him, but it was pointless as everybody in the room stared at the scarred man.

Scar, ignoring everybody, in his usual self, made his way through the silent crowd to the stairs. He took out a cigarette from inside his pockets and disappeared down the stairs in a puff of smoke, leaving the terrified boy all alone, in the mass of puzzled mages.

He tried to back away, unnoticed, heading for the door, but a strong hand gripped his shirt and pulled him back, like he weighted nothing.

"Let me go!" Mei squeaked, desperately trying to free himself.

"Who are you kid?" Gajeel asked the boy, still gripping his clothes.

Mei's eyes started to get watery, even though he tried to hold it back. He sealed his lips, throwing a hateful glare towards the iron dragon-slayer.

Gajeel on the other hand, annoyed they had to wait so much for that when they finally came, to be completely ignored, was about to let out his nerves on the poor kid. He opened his mouth, about to assault him with questions, when a harsh female voice stopped him, echoing around the silent room.

"Gajeel! Put him down!" Erza said as she was coming down the stairs, closely followed by Makarov and Gildarts.

Gajeel let go of the kid, murmuring for himself.

The little boy didn't wait for anything else and quickly made his way to the door and outside, where he started running. The last thing he heard were Levy's questions and Erza stating loud for everybody to hear that they had four more days.

His footsteps echoed around the silent streets as he ran, slightly stopping to take his breath. But he couldn't stop for long. He had to run away from it. That entire crowd, all those concerned faces scared the little boy. He felt as an intruder in their reunion. He felt sad; none of all those people's care was for him. He had to run away from it.

The more he ran, the more it hurt. Why? Why was it he had nobody to wait for him like that, to feel relieved at his sight. He stopped, his hand gripping a cold lamppost. He was about to go back, when an image of the serpent-like boy appeared in his head. He froze, looking straight in front of him, as his mind waved around the black-haired boy. He imagined the boy grinning at him, giving him a small pat on his head. He imagined the boy yelling at him for making him be concerned. He imagined...

_No_.

A single word inside his head brought him back. That will never happen. He turned around, heading back, his little fists clenched, trying the best he could to keep those images away.

But why was he heading back? He stopped again. So many years he managed on his own. Nobody helped him. So why did he tag along with those mages? Nobody made him do it. He was scared of Ray's wake. He felt something hidden, a dark secret would be revealed to him the moment he'd meet Ray. Maybe that was the reason he couldn't stand leaving. That secret attracted him. He wanted to know. Yet, he didn't. He did not know what to choose.

For a few minutes he stayed there, in the cold night, fixing the guild. He secretly craved for it. He wanted to go back.

_So do it._ _That's what you always wished for._

For the first time in his life, he listened to that voice. He listened to his desires and went back. Maybe he was mistaking about Ray. Maybe there was nothing about him. He returned to the guild.

* * *

Lucy was lying on her back, her head resting on the wall behind her, her eyes closed. She was standing in that position ever since Lisanna left, trying to fall asleep, but she simply couldn't. She was half asleep, half awake, her thoughts not letting her rest. She felt terrible, ill. She felt the room spin with her so it was no wonder she ignored the first yell of her name as she believed it to be her imagination. Lisanna was still hours away from coming.

The second yell made her sit up, her senses sharpening. The sudden move made the room spin with her as she raised a hand and held her head, trying to settle it all. She was tired and scared and stressed and it all made her feel sick. She opened her eyes and slowly stood up, holding the wall. She made a few steps and once again placed herself behind the door, so she could take by surprise the one that was coming.

She heard loud footsteps echoing through the corridors, as the person was running fast towards her. She heard her name being shouted, but the distance and the dizziness made her unable to tell who was coming for her. She let her head rest on the cold wall behind her, her body pressed against it, trying to make herself invisible, fade in the shadows, so she could not be found.

As the footsteps got closer, the person's yells stopped, making Lucy blast in her mind as he was now close enough to identify him by his voice. She realised he knew where she was or else he would still be yelling. She strained more and more as the steps got closer and closer as to finally stop in front of her cell. She held her breath, waiting for the ring of the keys and the screech of the door as it sprung open. But none of them came. The person stood right outside the door, looking through the small hole. Lucy could hear, feel him breathe, right behind her neck. It sent chills down her spine, but she still didn't let herself move, not even an inch. She stood there still, waiting for the other person to make the first move. She tried to fight off the impulse to lay down and close her eyes.

Few seconds that could've been weeks, years, passed when finally the person at the door backed off, and walked away. She heard his steps getting further and further, and just when the dead silence surrounded her she let herself exhale and loosen a bit.

Holding the wall, she slowly went back to where she laid before. She let herself fall with a hard sound on the ground and gritted her teeth at the pain. She closed her eyes and tried once again to fall asleep when the whisper made her eyes open immediately.

"Lucy..." she looked in disbelief and shock at the person behind the door, which looked at her with surprised eyes, as if they didn't expect her to respond.

She stood there on the ground, frozen, with her mind running rapidly, trying to comprehend what she was seeing.

"Lucy" the person said again, this time with a firmer tone, but still marked with a bit of surprise.

It was all it took for Lucy to get up and hurry to the door, looking through the hole at the rosy-haired boy in front of her. It only took to hear his voice once again.

Tears started falling down her cheeks as she just looked at him, her hands clinging on the bars. He looked back at her, wide-eyed with wonder. He raised one of his hands and unsecure, placed it on top of hers. She lowered her head and watched their hands and then looked back at him, at his surprised face and in that moment she finally realised it. Up until then, deep down inside her, a fear no words and assurances could calm, finally disappeared. She realised that she did not truly believe he was alive until that very moment when she finally saw him.

_He is alive. He is alive. He is alive._That was the only thing she could think about as it continuously flowed through her mind.

"Natsu... You're okay..." she finally answered, her voice sounding small and squeaky as she looked at him, searching for any injuries.

He suddenly raised his head at the sound of her talking, at the sound of his name. His face was pale as he looked at her. She then saw in his eyes something she didn't notice until now. She observed in his gestures, in the mimic of his face. His grin was gone. The light in his eyes also. He looked tired and shaken. Only when his eyes locked with hers she caught a glimpse of the old Natsu.

She reached out her hand, going through the bars, and placed it on his face. He looked dazzled at it, as if he didn't expect it. He raised his eyes again and looked into her chocolate ones. They were full of questions.

"What happened to you...?" she whispered, choosing the first question that popped into her head. "Where did you disappear?"

Natsu closed his eyes and a small crease formed between his eyebrows as for the first time, he himself tried to fight the walls that stood in a terrible silence up to then. He didn't know why but he had to answer the girl. He had to please her. And in order to do that, he had to fight what was blocking his mind and embrace the past. Too bad it was harder than he ever thought.

Lucy looked with concern at the boy as she felt him tense under her hand. She watched him struggle and felt useless that she could do nothing to help him. The more she stayed near him the more she realised how much all this changed it. Tears flooded her eyes once again as she watched Natsu open his eyes and shake his head. He didn't win the fight.

She started caressing his cheek, looking at him. She now understood how much it affected him. How much it affected her. How much it affected Lisanna, Ray, and Scar. Everybody. That dreadful mission changed all of them.

"We have to get out of here, Natsu" she whispered, looking at him seriously.

The boy looked at her and nodded. His head hurt, the walls were revolting against his actions but they were too weak to stand a chance. She fuelled him. As long as he stayed near her, he could try and regain what he lost. What he was kept hidden from.

He was about to say something when he suddenly backed away, fiercely giving aside her hand. He fell to his knees, surrounded by the surprised yell Lucy gave. She saw him grasping his head, pulling his hair. She heard him groan in pain, yell. But she could do nothing. He was hurting in front of her eyes, yet she couldn't do anything. Once again she stepped on her promises.

She started calling his name, panicking as he seemed to not hear anything. He continued trembling on the floor, trying to rip his head apart.

Lucy tried spreading her hand as far she could, cutting herself in the cold metal. She was inches away from Natsu's head; still, those inches seemed as kilometres. And so did the seconds, passing as if ages. She cared for nothing else, not for the pain in her shoulder as she tried pushing her hand even further, not for the cuts on her hand that let tiny drops of blood fall so close to his face, not for the dizziness, the sickness that controlled her. No. She cared only for her friend, who was suffering right in front of her eyes. And even worse, she didn't even know what caused it. She started to tremble and panic as she couldn't get past those bars. Natsu, in front of her, was shaking furiously on the ground, with his eyes wide open, glaring straight at the wall, with his mouth occasionally letting out moans of pain, pain that reflected on his face.

_Suffer for your lies_. This single thought controlled Natsu's mind. He knew who was behind it. He felt the walls thicken more and more as he knew he was coming. He felt his memories drifting away from him even more than they were before. Now, instead of them being locked down behind those walls, they were free, but so fade and distant. He felt them on the edge of disappearing. And the more it hurt, the more he knew they were going away. He tried holding on to some of them, but he couldn't. His hands continued to slip. They were too strong for him. He made a huge effort and stood up, holding his groan of pain. He wanted to tell Lucy she was in danger. He had to tell her who she will be facing. He knew that when the pain will be gone, he'll be even worse than before. But he had to try.

He opened his mouth, trying to hold his eyes open as he locked his into her chocolate ones, and whispered, so faintly he was afraid she wouldn't hear. But the words he had to say wouldn't form. He had to tell her about his memory. He had to tell her he'll never forget her. But nothing would come out.

Lucy watched him, trying to get to him. But she couldn't. She watched him desperately, trying to think of something. Suddenly, she saw him move his lips. She heard nothing at all, but his words imprinted in her head. She froze at what she heard, looking straight at the grinning boy in front of her. For a second, he looked calm, as if he wasn't crawling in pain on the ground mere moments before. He looked exactly as the Natsu everybody knew, as Salamander the fire dragon-slayer, the most idiot loud-mouth of all times. She looked at him, too amazed to answer. Those words on his lips, she never thought she'd hear them. Not from him. She shouldn't hear them from him. She didn't deserve them. He had no reason to say them. She should be the one telling him that. It was all her fault after all.

But the moment disappeared before she could answer. Natsu was pulled back in his pain and Lucy was left gripping the bars, looking wide-eyed at the boy. For few moments, it felt as if the time stopped, but only for her. She felt as if everything was going on far away from her. Everything was dark and cloudy. The only thing that pierced the darkness were his yells. It felt as if they were repeating one after another, again and again, never stopping.

Those yells were what brought her back to life. With them as her background, she backed away from the door, driving away everything on her mind, thinking only of her best friend. Rage started forming inside her, mixed with the annoyance that she could be of no use. She lost everything in that mission. She lost her future and her dreams the day she ran away. She now realised what Gildarts meant with Natsu can't be saved anymore. They did not harm him in any physical way. They destroyed him from inside. They changed good and bad for him. They blocked his memories. They made him turn on his friends, making him kill. They changed him completely, ripping away the Natsu they knew, leaving behind a shell full of unmatchable memories and unknown feelings. And now, after everything, they tortured him. Tears started streaming down her face as her blood started to boil.

She felt her hand getting warm, her feet, her body, but she gave it no attention. She let her body take the lead as she was too absorbed by her own thoughts. Gold small clouds started circling her, moving around her feet, around her hands. Lucy gritted her teeth as she heard the boy's yell. His pain started to magnify. But also did her fury. She started to move towards the door while the clouds around her trembled. With one short wipe of her hand, the door exploded, sending all around dust while small pieces of wood fell around him.

Coughing, Lucy stood in the doorway, looking amazed and scared at her shaking hands. The ray of gold disappeared as quickly as it appeared. She did not know what she just did. She didn't have her keys. There's no way any of her spirits could've helped her. No. She did it on her own. But how?

Suddenly, she heard the boy moan. All her thoughts perished, leaving behind only one. She fell on her knees, in front of the boy, trying to bring him back, calling him, shaking him. But it was of no use. She started crying, holding the boy at her chest, feeling as useless as ever. She'll never change. She'll always be the weak one. She imagined Erza or Mirajane in her place. They'd know what to do. They'd be of help to Natsu. But she couldn't do anything. She wasn't strong enough. From any point of view. No more than four minutes passed from when they were holding hands at the door, but everything changed.

She got up and tried raising him, but he wouldn't let her. His shakes were now violent and soon, Lucy had to back away. She watched in horror her best friend walking away from her more and more and she could do nothing, not even run after him.

All of a sudden, Natsu stopped. He lay on the ground, not moving an inch. His groans stopped. The stiffness disappeared. Lucy looked in awe at the boy in front of her that looked as if he was sleeping.

She hesitated for a second, afraid of what she might discover, but brutally warded off those thoughts. Even if the worst happened, she had to stop being a coward.

A pale hand stretched out and was carefully placed on his head. She sighted in relief as she felt him breathing. She was surprised and pleased that nobody came after them. Lucy was sure they heard them. She had to hurry and get out of there before anybody would come.

She was about to try and turn him around, when she found herself meters away, gasping for breath as she hit a wall. She started coughing, holding onto her stomach. She looked around, searching for the person who did that. Her eyes wandered around the room, suddenly stopping in the place Natsu used to lay moments ago. Her heartbeats grew louder and louder as she searched for the boy through the darkness around her. She started to breath wearily, as a sudden feeling of hopelessness took her over. Faces of the Fairy Tail members started flowing through her mind, disfigured faces. She saw Ray's face when he got shot, she saw Lisanna's lost gaze when she betrayed them, she saw Natsu's grin when he stepped in front of her and saved her. She recalled the sacrifice Scar made for her. She started to tremble, thinking of the many bad decisions she took, realising she wouldn't be standing there if it weren't for all those people who willingly sacrificed their lives for her. She fell on her knees, her hands making their way to her hair. Even though her eyes were wide open, she saw nothing around her but faces. She rocked back and forth on that spot, drifting away from reality with each passing second.

If she wouldn't have gone to Scar. If he wouldn't have made Ray follow her. If Lisanna wouldn't love Natsu so much. If she would've stayed behind and help Scar. If she would've lasted longer so Natsu wouldn't have had to save her. If only she was stronger. The abyss under her widened, its depths calling her...

_Enough. Come back._

She felt something cold against her cheek as pain shot through her body. She suddenly opened her eyes, taking a big breath as if she was holding it until now. She looked around the room alarmed, as one of her hands raced to her cheek where she felt the pain came from.

Standing in the hallway was a man; his dark blue cloak was partially covered in shadows. He stood there still, staring at the scared girl.

It took a few moments for Lucy to come back from those nightmares. The more her head cleared, the more she started to realise that someone played with her mind, and by the looks of it, it was the man in front of her. She got up, never for a second taking her eyes off, expecting him to do it again any time. Seeing as he made no move towards her, Lucy started to slowly take her eyes off him and look around, searching for Natsu who disappeared.

Seeing as he wasn't there, she turned her gaze back to the cloaked man but he was also gone. She started to shiver, looking and turning around more and more alarmed. She started running on the hallway, thinking maybe she can just leave him behind. But the more she ran, the more she came back. Every step she thought she made forward, she made back, somehow advancing and withdrawing in the same time, in a continuous loop. Every where she turned her head, she saw hooded men looking straight at her, which only made her run even faster. She started to feel colder as she started to sink into darkness.

But then again the same feeling. Something cold against her cheek, pain flowing through her body. And the exact same words.

_Enough. Come back._

Her eyes shot open again. She was in front of her cell again, fallen on her knees, looking straight at the cloaked man that stood in the shadows of the doorway.

He played with her mind once again. And she realised he could do it endlessly.

"Who are you?!" she yelled at the man, grasping her stomach as he got up.

But she got no answer. The man stood there in front of her, saying nothing, probably preparing for a next nightmare. Lucy took her eyes once again off him and looked around the room for Natsu. But just as before, he was nowhere to be found.

"Where is he?" she tried again, looking straight at the man. For a few seconds nothing happened, but then she saw him move a little, letting her sight slip past him and onto a person that was staying behind. Lucy made an involuntary step towards that person but then she remembered of the other man and held herself. She stood there and looked at Natsu, who wasn't shaking anymore. But not only the shakes were gone, but also the colours in his cheeks and the light in his eyes. When they finally made eye contact, he did nothing but stare at her, contrary to what she thought he'd do.

"What happened to you?" Lucy whispered to the boy but he just ignored her, staring with a dead-like glare back at her. He made no move of recognition towards her. It was just as in her dream.

A maniacal and short laugh made her take her eyes off the boy and move them on the other man. He advanced, taking advantage of her distraction. He was now no more than two meters away, laughing at the girl.

"What did you do to him?" asked Lucy again, this time addressing the other man.

"Oh, nothing really. Just some adjustments. I think you'll like him better this way. He now has a tendency of forgetting everything. Let's hope it's not forever" he chuckled as he turned around and ordered Natsu "Come. Take her". He pulled better his hood as he left.

Lucy watched him go then focused on the boy, not knowing how to start.

"Natsu." She yelled at him as he walked towards her. "Natsu" no recognition in his features. He continued to walk towards her, ignoring her yell and calls of his name.

He stood right in front of her, and for a second looked straight at her. But the second passed and he grabbed her wrist, wanting to drag her out. She opposed, trying to stay there, feeling that she shouldn't under any circumstances follow him. But Natsu's reaction towards her opposition took her completely by surprise. He threw a quick punch in her stomach, taking her completely by surprise, and then started dragging her as if nothing happened. Lucy started to cough, holding her stomach in pain. But she wouldn't give up. She started calling names again, this time it were of the Fairy Tail members. She grabbed a wall with all her strength and pulled back the boy a few steps. This made Natsu lose balance a few moments, enough for Lucy to get up and run past him in the different direction.

"Mirajane! Elfman! Master!" she yelled as she ran, sure he was listening, running after her.

"Levy! Jet! Droy!" she couldn't stop. The names of her nakama rose on her lips one after another, pictures of their smiling faces racing through her mind.

As she was about to take the corner, she felt a hand gripping her foot. She stumbled and fell head on, not having time to cover herself with her hands. Pain invaded her as she felt something warm going down her forehead. She knew before she checked it was blood, but she still watched in surprise the red drops on her hand.

"Stop resisting" she heard from behind.

Another punch threw her on her back. She tried to get up, looking around her, but she saw no one. Before she could start running again, a punch from behind made her stumble a few steps and then fall again. She laid there on her stomach, with her hands around her, her head on the cold floor, with her eyes closed. She felt him grabbing her arm and dragging her once more, but she did not oppose this time. She was exhausted.

"Wendy... Gajeel... Laxus" she realised she continued to whisper. Slowly, she regained her senses, and with a hard stop, as her hand grabbed yet another wall, she quickly took advantage of his surprise and got up, standing in front of him.

Natsu watched the girl as she got up, blood pouring down her face and shoulder. She was holding her stomach from the pain, but it did not show on her face. She looked at him determined, saying louder and louder names, as if reciting a spell.

"Gildarts! Juuvia! Erza!"She yelled at him. She didn't understand what she was doing. She felt that yelling all those names would make him return to how he was before. But they didn't. They didn't affect him at all. Still, he was backing away more and more as she was advancing. Another punch raced to her head. Lucy gritted her teeth at the pain but continued walking.

"Stop resisting" she heard him say, louder than he did before. He looked in awe at that girl in front of him, coming at him, reciting names, not giving up at all.

"Gray!" she continued to yell.

"Stop resisting!' he yelled back, punching her.

"Lisanna!"

"Stop it!" he was getting angrier. Why was she advancing so much? Didn't she care at all for herself? Did she really like pain? He threw another and another punch, as if she was a boxing sack. But she showed no hesitance.

"Happy!" Natsu gritted his teeth.

"Stop...!" he yelled as his fists set on fire.

Lucy hesitated for a second as she watched with wide eyes the flames on his fists. But she couldn't back down. Not now.

"Natsu!" she finally yelled "Come back!" she stopped, looking at the boy. The flames threw shadows on his face. She saw him before like that, angry, calculated, serious. That's what he looked like in a battle against somebody he really wanted to beat. But this time, his glare was directed to her.

"I said stop resisting!" he yelled as fire shot from his hands, circling the girl, never touching her. He started to run around her, circling her as well, throwing punches and kicks. Lucy stood in the middle, hit from everywhere. She made no move to defend herself. She lost that battle. That wasn't Natsu anymore. He once swore he'd never use his fire on his nakama.

She closed her eyes as she fell to her knees, then on her back. She felt the darkness surround her, and only then, she let her tears fall.

Natsu stood still. He looked down at the beaten up girl. He saw her tears, but he knew she fainted.

He squatted next to her and moved his head so he could be inches away from her ear. And then, he whispered, but loud enough for anybody to hear, as a large dark smile covered his face.

"He's not coming back"

He got up and lifted her. Her head was resting on his shoulder, but he didn't care. He threw her no look at all as he made his way out of the dungeons.

Behind them, sitting in a corner where she hid until then, stood a white-haired girl. Tears were streaming down her face as she trembled. She couldn't dare get up; afraid he might come back after her too. Her eyes were locked on the red puddle on the ground, surrounded by burnt stones.

_What have I done...?_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Again, the usual apologies for the late update. I will also want to let you know that I won't be posting the next month or so as I have exams. I am really sorry for it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

She knew she was conscious yet she was not sure. The sinister voices surrounded her, throwing shivers down her spine, making her want to yell and crawl. She knew nothing in the real world could make her feel like that. It felt inhuman yet she was not dreaming... She knew she could see yet she felt blind. She caught glimpses of forms, shadows from the corner of her eyes, yet every time she turned around they disappeared, throwing her back in darkness. It was as if she was trying to keep water in her bare hands, every time she gripped harder, the water would find other ways to stream down her hands.

It could've been seconds, days, years since she was in that state, haunted by unseen creatures, buried in darkness. For more than once she tried to move, but she was completely possessed by numbness, with no control of her own body. Left alone in that madness, with no way to distract herself, to escape, thinking over and over again, trying to understand why she was there, coming no closer than before to the answer, Lucy went mad. Or so she believed. In that endless darkness, she was not sure of anything anymore. Except her constant heartbeats that somehow seemed to keep the creatures away, sounding like tribal drums, making her feel as if she was sacrificed on an altar for a God. She started to fear the moment when the drums would stop playing.

* * *

The white-haired mage made her way inside the dark ballroom, her head bent as she watched her feet move forward towards the round golden table placed in the middle of the room. She threw short glances around her, trying to see something or somebody through the darkness, but the only thing that she could see in that dark room was the table, lit by a small candle. She knew the room was guarded by many mages, all coming from the same dark guild that was all under the command of the exact same person that captured Natsu and Lucy. He was the blue-robed man, his hood always covering his face. She didn't know who he was or what his goal was; everything she knew was that he was the one responsible of Natsu's change. And she hated him for that. But even more she hated herself for doing what she did. She betrayed her family, she betrayed Lucy, and all for one selfish reason that overpowered all her acts and that was to bring Natsu back. She knew she made a lot of mistakes, some she shouldn't have done, but the image of the smiling Natsu made everything fade. She didn't care what she had to do as long as she made him come back to his family. But now it all changed. She did something unforgivable, she betrayed Natsu himself, for her own selfish reasons. She lost her last glimpse of hope that she was doing the right thing.

"Have a sit" she heard a cold voice from behind her. She recognised it immediately as the blue-robed man's voice. She raised her head and watched the empty table, a stain of gold in the darkness. Circling it were five chairs, all of them empty. She made her way to the furthest of them and sat down, looking straight down at her feet.

She didn't hear him approach, but only saw from the corner of her eyes as dark blue robes covered the chair on her left. She tensed as she waited for him to say something, yet they stood there in silence. Stressful moments passed, making Lisanna wonder more and more why she was called there.

After seconds or maybe hours, the door opened, throwing a long trail of light on the floor. Lisanna quickly raised her head, curiosity and fear giving a war inside her. Was it that this man called for others to execute her? She knew from what she's seen how powerful that man could be. He could play with human minds too well. Just one look in his eyes and he could read her completely.

In walked three men, all covered in grey cloaks, with their hoods covering their faces. Lisanna watched them as they came and sat at the table. She didn't know who they were. Every time she encountered the leader, he was by himself, hiding in the shadows or sitting at the table.

The blue-cloaked said nothing and so did the other three. Lisanna grew more and more frightened, as she was surrounded by the hooded men.

Suddenly, as if they've spoken before, all three of the new comers took off their hoods, all at once.

She looked before she could stop herself, at them. The nearest man looked old and wise, with a white short beard and big eyebrows that covered his eyes. He made her feel safe, that until her gaze fell on his eyes. He was looking straight at her, his eyes full of repulsion and hate. Lisanna quickly tore her eyes away from the man as she could not stand much longer the hate that emanated from him.

The next man was younger, with very short black hair and a matching moustache. His eyes were cold and inexpressive; He looked through Lisanna, as if she wasn't there. Lisanna gulped before she could hold it. Hearing it, the man finally focused on the girl. His lips curled almost unnoticed downwards, as if he had something noisome under his nose. He reminded the girl of an army general, stiff and silent. He made a short nod of his head then returned to his previous state.

Quickly, she moved her eyes to the next; careful to avoid the hateful glances the old man was still throwing her. The last man was fat and almost bald, oscillating between the other men's ages. He was shorter than the other two and he had a large scar across his lips. But that was not what made her press her back hard against her chair involuntary. It was the way he looked at her. He wasn't disgusted by her at all like the others. No. He looked at her, studied her head to toe. He had a perverted grin plastered on his face, which made the scar look even more frightening.

Lisanna flinched as she heard the blue-robed man speak so close to her. She forgot all about him as she studied the others.

"My reliable advisors" it took a few moments for the girl to realise he was talking to her. She didn't understand why she was there. She tried finding a reason but she simply couldn't. The fact that she was still alive even though she was of no use to those people was very odd. Even more peculiar than that was the fact that he called for her, presented her to the others. The more time she spent in that castle surrounded by so much unknown, the more she started to lose her reason

She threw a quick look to the blue-robed man, no matter how much she knew she shouldn't. He had his hood on, leaving no space for eyes to see. The man was looking back at her, smiling under the shadows, sensing her fear and confusion. A single glance from her and he knew how much she dreaded him, but also how much she feared him. He directed his attention towards the three that looked at him in a strange way. He started to feel angry towards them as if the girl would pay more attention, she'll notice the puzzlement in their eyes as well.

"This is the girl I've told you about. She betrayed her guild and her friends. She showed devotement towards me. I shall now grant her one wish in exchange for her acts." The three grinned, annoying even more the leader. They finally understood what he meant. They knew how much their master hated traitors, how much he hated weak sorts like her. They knew him all too well to fall in his trap. This wish he granted her was a hidden trap to question where her loyalty stood.

"So what shall it be?" he grinned at the girl. She shuddered but did not answer immediately. They considered her weak and foolish. They had no idea what the fragile girl was capable of. They all knew her for her atrocious acts, but not what she fought for. She knew that they'd expect her to ask for her freedom. All they saw her for was a selfish weakling. But not the master. She knew that he saw through all her traitor façade, even though he didn't show it. She knew he didn't expect her to ask for something so selfish. But neither did he think she was stupid. Asking for her friends to be set free wasn't a choice. No matter how tempting it was, she knew he'd never fulfil her that, better yet kill her before even answering. No. She knew he thought she'll think of something tricky and smart to somehow be able to free the dragon-slayer. That is why he remained dumbfounded when she spoke.

"I wish to leave, and that is, return, without being followed, back home." Lisanna hold her tears back as she pronounced the word home. She had no home left. And to this conclusion they all got.

"But you betrayed your guild. I am sure you won't be welcomed so happily after all you've done" the old grey-robed man smiled ironically.

It felt as if he stuck a knife through her heart, twisting it unmercifully. He was right. But he won't give him satisfaction.

"That is for me to decide, not for you." she glared at the man. She knew she was forcing her luck but she had too. They'd kill her any way around.

A dreadful silence surrounded them, everybody waiting for the master's verdict. The three men were smiling as she did exactly what they thought she would. The master on the other hand, didn't believe a single word she said. She was so much more than let the eye. Lisanna looked fiercely at him, trying to hide everything deep inside her, somewhere out of his reach. Seeing her determined eyes, the master finally made a decision, a decision he already wanted to take back.

"Fine. You may leave" and with a short sign of his hand, a man dressed in black robes came forth from the darkness and, after she quickly got up, led the girl out of the dark room. Before the doors closed, the girl looked once more at the leader. As much as she hated him, she couldn't help and feel sorry for him, for an unknown reason. Something inside her ached as she walked away from that man. He seemed oddly familiar and yet a stranger. But something in his voice made her wonder how much older than her that man truly was, how much pain drove him so mad. She tore her eyes away from him, with a deep wonder in her heart, with the intense feeling that she was let go even if she shouldn't be.

The leader looked as the door closed, lost in thoughts. He wouldn't admit, not even to himself, that he dreaded her wish, or more that he hated himself for fulfilling it.

"A coward till the very end." The scarred man said after the door closed, breaking the silence.

"And a traitor" the old one added. "She did exactly as I thought she would"

"Why did you let her go?" the youngest of the three asked.

The leader composed his face, driving away every emotion. He took off his hood, revealing a young face of a man. He wasn't surprised that the three didn't look shocked at his age, at the fact that he was much younger than all of them. He was playing with their minds all along, keeping them more for as to not be alone than actually because he needed them. For all they knew, their leader was very old.

"We are better off without her. She won't come back and neither will she go back to her guild. She is too scared of their reactions towards her actions. She is, after all, a traitor." He felt sorrow invading him as he told those lies. For the first time, lying hurt. And this deeply annoyed him. He just couldn't let a mere girl destroy his plans.

Unaware of the internal struggle their leader was bearing, the three men looked satisfied with his answer.

The blue-robed man made another sign of his hand and another black-robed person appeared. He whispered a few words at his ear and watched as the man made his way out of the room, gliding through the shadows.

"There is something about the Heartfilia I did not tell you..." he gathered the attention of the three.

"Yes, you never told us why you sedated her, or, well, you understand..." the scarred man smiled as he said those words, believing to have made an inner joke. But instead of laughing himself, the blue-robed man threw him a dreadful glare and continued as if nobody ever interrupted.

"Before she was brought up by the dragon-slayer, she escaped her cell without _exterior_ help..." he left his phrase hang in the air, waiting to see if they caught on. And luckily for their safety, the youngest of the three did.

"But you said she is unaware of her powers" the other two nodded in agreement, making the leader sick. He was sure they still didn't get it completely.

"She is. I believe that even until now that she is unaware as to why that happened. But I know. She saw the dragon-slayer lying on the floor, crawling in pain, and because she was so frustrated she could not do anything to help her friend, she somehow opened the door without intention."

"The door...?" the old man asked

"This power is kept inside her by magic, sealed." The young man quickly explained, sensing the annoyance growing inside his master.

"I induced her in one of the worst nightmares I could find inside her head. She shouldn't be able to call forth that force from there." Even the youngest man's cold eyes widened at this news.

"But we are leaving today..." the scarred man said but he was cut off by the door that just opened.

In walked another grey-robed person, with his hood lying on his back, his pink hair shinning in the light coming from the corridor. He approached the table with sure steps and stopped right in front of the leader. He made a short bow and then said in an equal tone.

"You called for me, Master?" the boy asked

"Yes... I have a request. We will be leaving in an hour time. I would like you to get the Heartfilia girl _ready_." He smiled as he said the last word, looking straight in the boy's onyx eyes, searching for any hatred, but pleasingly, he found none.

"Of course" the boy answered simply as he made another bow and left, closing the door tight behind him.

The three men watched in awe after the boy, while the leader looked annoyed at them.

"What exactly did you do to him...?" the old man asked

"Well, my friend" he answered acidly, making the one who asked shudder "let's just say _we_ are now his friends" he let out an acid laugh, quickly joined by the other three, even though they secretly wished they wouldn't.

Lisanna was standing on the road, looking up at the castle. She wasn't going to go home. Of course she wasn't. She was sure they didn't know she was a traitor, but she knew they'd eventually find out. Not even her siblings would ever look at her the same again. But it didn't matter as she wasn't planning on going from the beginning. She was going to follow them as they'd make their way to the place of the ritual. She was determined to save Natsu, even if it would be the last thing she'll do.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a crowded little office in the Fairy Tail guild were gathered too many mages, making Makarov groan. Erza and the others returned three days ago and they've been plotting on how to save Natsu and Lucy ever since. They weren't at all lucky as they didn't know who they were up against, but from what Gildarts managed to tell them before hurrying away on another long mission that could not be postponed; they were very dark and powerful mages.

On the other hand, they were lucky on a different subject, even though not as important for their rescue as their plans. Ray was slowly getting better, and from what Biska and Alzack told them, in maximum two more days he'll wake up.

Everybody was happy because of this, feeling that his recovery was giving them hope for the war they were about to face. The only person who didn't seem as happy as the others were was Mei, as he was still oscillating between running away and staying.

Erza was yet again telling all of them everything she knew, constantly interrupted by Gray who would complete her. Up until now, they only grew to one conclusion and that was that they'd go all out in tomorrow's war, every mage in Fairy Tail would be going, except Biska who would stay behind to take care of Ray, accompanied by Romeo, Mei and Scar. Laxus was in a mission, still yet to be told of the rescue when Mirajane will finally be able to somehow contact him. Except him and Gildarts, everybody was present at Fairy Tail that moment. Well except one person.

"...we have until tomorrow at midnight, from what Scar told us. We have the element of surprise on our side and..." but she was cut off by an alarmed Mirajane that made her way through the crowded room.

"I finally reached Laxus, but he was already on his way back as he finished the mission. He said he'd be here in maximum two hours..."

"Well that's very good; we'll be leaving then immediately as he comes back. Thanks Mira-chan" Erza smiled at the girl but it quickly faded away as she saw the white-haired mage had her eyes full of tears. "What happened?" she exclaimed as she hurried to where Mira was staying, next to the door.

Wiping away her tears, Mirajane looked straight in Erza's eyes as she said with a pained tone "I... I asked Laxus how's Lisanna, you know, as she was with him in the mission and everything... But..." tears started streaming down her face again" He said: how should I know. And when I told him Lisanna left a note in which she wrote that she went on a mission with him, he laughed me off and said he'd never take a weakling like her with him on a mission. I think he sensed my panicked tone that he finally told me on a rather worried tone, for Laxus, that Lisanna didn't go on a mission with him... Why would she lie?"

Erza looked shocked with the news, and so did everybody else. Elfman quickly made his way through the crowd and hugged his sister. For the past week or so, Lisanna had been missing, leaving that note behind. And even though it sounded strange for Laxus to take the girl with him on a mission, they said that there was a start for everything, and nobody worried anymore about her, that until today.

Erza turned around and threw Gray a short glance.

"Do you think she...?" she whispered, but it was so silent that everybody heard.

Gray nodded and looked away as he saw everybody turned their heads to stare at him.

"What?" Elfman demanded.

But before any of the two could explain, Makarov answered. "I think Lisanna did exactly what Lucy did." Some of the people in the room looked away or gasped, realising what happened. But maybe it was because of the sadness or the shock that neither Elfman nor Mirajane caught on what he meant.

"We now make the mission a three people rescue instead of two" Gray added before Makarov, earning himself some glares from around the room, while Mrajane started crying again.

"But they don't need her for the ritual, do they?" Levy asked from the corner of the room, her face covered in worry.

Erza threw her a sad look, but Scar was the one that answered. "No. Let's just hope you get there before anything happens." Elfman gritted his teeth while Mirajane hid her face in her brother's shoulder. They were now uncertain if their smaller sister was still alive. After finally getting her back, they could lose her once again.

"The moment Laxus is back, we'll be leaving. Go and prepare yourselves. While Lucy and Natsu have a whole day left, Lisanna may have even just seconds." Makarov ordered, sending everybody away from his office.

After the last of them closed the door behind them, he turned his head and looked out his window, thinking how horrible things seem to have turned out, how one bad thing after another happened. He swore he'll name Gildarts Master when all of this is finished, but then again, he knew he'll have no chance in convincing him. He let out an exasperated sight and sat down at his desk, trying to think of an attack plan for tomorrow. The lives of three of his kids depended on him.

* * *

Downstairs, sitting on a tall chair next to a bed, was Mei. He was looking curiously at the green-haired woman in front of him that gave him a short smile. She was bent over the bed, on which laid a young black-haired boy. He was sleeping, his face was peaceful. The woman's hands were covered in a green aura as she placed them above the boy's foot, where he was shot.

"Why can't anybody but you and Alzack-sama heal him?" the little boy asked. Ever since he met, or sort of met Ray, he never dared say his name.

Biska smiled again as she answered, not taking her eyes off the now almost healed wound. "Because nobody but my type can extract and heal this kind of wound."

"So that means you can heal everything, which makes you a better healer than everybody, right?" the boy continued to ask.

Biska chuckled "I am not a better healer. Besides wounds made by gun shots, I can't heal anything. And neither does Alzack" she added, anticipating his next question. Mei smiled at her. He liked her most out of everybody he met yet. And Alzack was right after her.

For a few minutes they stood there in silence, the woman concentrating on the wound, while the boy looked at her. They could occasionally hear yells from upstairs. They were in a constant meeting ever since they came back. Mei never tried taking part at those meetings. Everybody stared at him ever since Erza told them he had a bit of magic. He'd been avoiding everyone since then, spending all of his time with Ray in the silent room.

"You are always staying by his side. Ever since you came back, I never saw you leave this room. If I wouldn't bring you food, you'd be starving by now." She was scolding him, like she always did. She told him she'll stop bringing him food, but she grew so fond of the little boy that she couldn't stop herself from doing so. Today was no exception. Mei took the apple Biska brought him as a snack and started eating it.

"Do you know him?" Biska suddenly asked. Mei choked on his apple. That was a question never asked before. He realised from the look in her eyes she's been struggling to not ask for days, but she couldn't help it.

"I..." he was about to lie but then again Biska smiled to him and he knew she could trust her."I don't know" he admitted.

"How can you not know if you know somebody or not?" she frowned, concentrating on her green hands.

"I don't know. I don't know who I am myself. Only remember my name and that's it. But he gives me this feeling that he can answer all of my questions..." he decided he won't tell her that he feared all those answers for no apparent reason. He already believed she thought he was crazy.

But surprisingly, she smiled at him. "I am curious myself to what answers he'll give you" Mei smiled back, feeling happier than ever. He wouldn't admit to himself but he wished he could remain in Fairy Tail with Biska.

"It's okay if you don't answer, but I couldn't help but notice that you never address Ray by his name, but by 'him' or 'the boy'." She looked as if she finished with the healing for now. She made a short wave of her hands, as if trying to tidy them from the green magic, then raised her head and smiled to the boy, clearly wishing he'll answer.

He didn't want to answer. The reason he didn't say the name was because he was scared. But he didn't want to admit it.

_She deserves an answer, you know. She's been so good with you these days..._something inside him tried to convince him.

Before he could change his mind, he whispered "I am scared of what may happen" he quickly closed his eyes not wanting to see her amused face, the irony in her eyes. But instead of painful words, he felt two arms circling him, tightening around him. He quickly opened his eyes and looked at the smiling Biska.

"It's okay to be afraid. But is it worth it living in fear of the unknown all your life? Maybe you should gather courage and simply do it. You never know what might happen. Bad things may. But also good. So come on, give it a try. Tell him something, anything. I am sure he'll like it" She smiled as she gave him a wink.

Mei turned his attention towards the sleeping boy. He didn't want to do it, but Biska was right. He gathered up some courage and said the first things that came to his mind.

"When are you going to wake up? People need you..., uh..." he looked at Biska and she gave him a thumbs up "uh, Ray" he finally said it. He looked enthusiastically at the boy.

He didn't know what he was expecting, but definitely not silence. Something inside him wished the boy would wake up at the sound of his voice. He didn't expect himself to feel so desperate that the boy didn't react to his words.

Biska seemed to not realise how much it hurt the boy. She gave him a pat on the head and made her way to the door, smiling as she said what she always said "Come with me upstairs, let's eat together". She was about to open the door, waiting for him to answer with his usual "No, thank you", when she heard a whisper, something impalpable she didn't understand.

"What did you...?" she asked as she turned around. What she saw left her phrase in the middle of the air as she was too surprised to continue. Mei was next to the bed, on his usual chair, looking shocked and frightened at the bed in front of him. On it, slowly standing up, was the boy who should've woken up two days later.

He had his eyes closed as he was whispering, seeming to be unaware of what he was doing. "Mei". Suddenly, after he was already sited up, he opened his eyes, making both of the persons in the room that looked at him in amazement shudder. His eyes darted across the room and suddenly stopped on the little boy in front of him.

His eyes went wide as he backed as much as he could in his bed. "Mei" he yelled at the surprised boy. Biska suddenly moved across the room and gripped Ray's hand, just in time from keeping him from jumping on the little boy.

Surprising for both of them, they saw tears glistening in his eyes as he yelled angrily at the boy, accusing him of bad jokes, threatening him for pulling such a prank. If it weren't for Biska to hold him back, Mei would've been completely beaten up by now.

The door burst open and in walked Alzack, looking surprised at the woken up Ray, but after hearing his threats towards Mei and how Biska could barely hold him, he hurried and pushed him back onto the bed, tying his hands.

"Settle down!" he cried at the boy, but he wasn't looking at him. He was looking with pure hatred in his eyes at the silent boy, cursing him.

People started to gather outside the door, drawn by the yells.

"He! Is! Not! Mei!" He continuously yelled, trying to free himself. "Let me beat him, let me tear his heart out! How dare he pretend to be Mei? Let me at him!" he continued to yell, more and more fiercely.

Suddenly, he managed to break the rope that tied his hands, and before anybody could react, he launched himself at Mei, who just stood there, too shocked to move, expecting the impact.

But the impact never came. Sitting in front of him, holding Ray's hands, stood Scar. He was looking seriously at Ray, who finally stopped yelling.

"Captain..." Ray whispered. His eyes were wide in shock as he looked at the scarred man. "That person pretends to be..." Ray whispered again, still not taking his eyes away from his master.

"That's because he is Mei." He simply answered. The boy's eyes widened in shock and as he moved his eyes to lock them with the little boy, he fiercely backed away from him, pressing his back against the opposite wall.

"But that's impossible!" he yelled at everybody, still looking at the little boy. "Mei's..._dead_" he whispered the last word. Everybody that heard suddenly turned to look at the little boy. The only person that wasn't surprised in the room was Scar and he was also looking at Mei.

But Mei wasn't looking at any of them, but at Ray. He simply stared at the black-haired man, as if waiting for him to tell him he was joking.

"You're dead!" cried Ray "You should be! I killed you after all!" he yelled, as tears started streaming down his face. "I _killed_you..." he sobbed. "I killed my own brother..."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I am veeeery sorry for the long wait. Here's chapter 10. Hope you'll like it :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

The little boy had no idea what was going on. He could see people moving, running, yelling next to him yet his eyes were stuck on the boy in front of him, his senses shut down. Maybe it was because he was so small and young, or maybe because he just didn't understand. He did notice how everybody in the room glared at the boy in front of him, how the scarred man was the only one who kept those mages away from him. But his little mind made no connections. No. Even though he heard what the boy said, he was still lost. He felt as if he was a ghost and everything that was keeping him on Earth was the boy in front of him. So he did what everybody would've done. He clung to his gaze, not taking his eyes off his, not even for a second.

Scar was watching everything that was going on around him with his cigarette sticking out of his disfigured lips. He watched the green-haired mage yelling at Alzack and pointing her finger towards the black-haired boy behind him, gesturing with her other hand. Alzack remained silent and thoughtful, staring at Biska, throwing quick looks towards Ray. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't disguise the disgust in his eyes, disgust which the Captain noticed immediately. Fairy Tail valued family more than anything in the world. It was against all of their beliefs what Ray did. And he wasn't the only one. More and more mages were gathering at the door of the room, brought there by the loud sounds. Scar heard the ones that were present before whisper to everybody else what happened. It all spread so quick and judging by the shocked and reluctant faces they had, everybody came to one conclusion. A conclusion, which Scar guessed, wasn't too much in favour of the black-haired boy.

He gritted his teeth as he turned around and looked at his pupil who was laying against the wall. Scar held his surprise back as he looked at his empty face. Mere minutes ago he was yelling and crying and cursing and now he just stood there, with his mouth half open and his gaze lost. Scar threw a quick look towards the white-haired little boy and saw him staring back at his pupil, as if his life depended on it. He made a short sign of his hand and caught Mei's attention with a wince.

The boy was brought back from his trance by the scarred man's sign. He didn't know why he saw that particular movement when everything in the room went unnoticed for the last minutes, but he did know he wanted to return to his previous state. The moment he broke the eye-contact with Ray and turned his eyes to look at the Captain, every sound in the room returned brutally, hurting his ears. He became painfully aware of everything and everybody in the room. He noticed Biska and Alzack and the black-haired pierced mage that picked up on him when he first entered Fairy Tail and the blue-haired water mage and many more. He gulped as he pushed his back against the wall, trying to blend in with the shadows, further away as possible from the guild members and from Scar and Ray.

Ray was looking straight through the boy in front of him, straight through the green eyes he knew too well. Somewhere in his mind he knew that the boy was staring back desperately yet he made no move of recognition. For the outer eye he looked lost and empty yet he was completely present and focused, lost in his thoughts. Only when he felt his brother's gaze disappear he cleared his mind and focused his sight on the man next to him. But Scar wasn't looking at him, but at the small boy Ray observed was trying to go unnoticed. He made a few steps towards him before he could think twice.

In less than an instant, most of the mages in the room placed themselves between him and Mei, glaring. He gritted his teeth, glaring back. He knew they had every reason to block his path after everything they've seen and heard yet he wished they'd all disappear and let him settle everything alone with Mei. But judging by their stiff postures, he had no chance.

"Maybe we should leave them alone" Scar's deep voice echoed around the now silent room. For a second nobody said anything. But then they all started talking at once, yelling the same negative answers. Above all, Biska's voice could be heard the best.

"Absolutely not!" she furiously yelled at Scar "For heavens, he tried to kill him _again_ minutes ago!"

Ray winced as she pronounced the word 'again'. Scar saw that and started to get angry. Those mages knew nothing of the story behind the incident. He himself knew it vaguely as Ray never talked about it. It annoyed him how they all treated Ray as if he was a killer on the loose. He clenched his fists and made a few steps forward.

Ray knew all too well it never ended good when his captain would get angry. As it happened very rarely, he wouldn't worry too much, but when it did, he felt pity for anybody Captain Scar's rage was directed towards.

Sensing the state his captain was in, he quickly made a few steps towards him, trying to place himself between Scar and the other mages. He could see from the corner of his eyes the puzzled and afraid faces some of the guild members were making as they watched the scarred man approach them with a death glare.

"Captain Scar...?" Ray let go of his captain immediately as he turned around to look at the door. Three mages were staying there looking straight at him and his master. The one who talked was the only woman of the three, a red-haired mage dressed in grey armour. She was looking surprised at Ray, but she quickly moved her gaze as he saw him staring back. Next to her was a blonde-haired man who had a lighting shaped scar crossing his right eye. He was looking back at Ray but contrary to what the girl did, he didn't move his gaze, but continued to stare at him in an insolent and defiant way. And in front of the two was a short old man who looked curiously at Ray. Ray turned his head and looked at his master, feeling intimidated under the old man's gaze.

Captain Scar quickly took his eyes off the mages in the room and tried to compose his face. The last thing he wanted now was them to believe they had two pirates with killer intents. He took out another cigarette and took it to his lips, moving slowly, taking all his time before having to answer.

He felt the tension grow in the room, knowing everybody was probably watching his every move. He sighted and straightened up, throwing a quick wink towards his pupil which nobody but the boy saw. He was now ready for everything they wanted.

Erza started to speak again, taking Scar's silence as a hint to go on.

"Laxus" the blonde mage took his eyes off Ray and nodded grumpily towards the scarred man" returned minutes ago. We will have a last meeting before we leave" Scar nodded and after he put out his cigarette he made a few steps and stopped in the doorway, right besides the three mages and looked back at Ray.

"And Ray?" he asked the girl

But before he could answer the old man smiled broadly and said "He of course can come if he wants. His recovery is very unusual of course as we expected it to happen later but we can't deny we will need any force we can get for this operation. I am Makarov Dreyar, Fairy Tail Guild Master by the way."

Ray looked perplexed towards Makarov. He figured out he was in a guild ever since he woke up. He would've been more curious to where he was and what has happened if he wouldn't have seen Mei. Or who everybody claimed to be Mei.

"What operation?" he asked. He noticed Mei from the corner of his eye as he was sneaking through the shadows towards the door. His white hair was unmistakeable. He had to talk with the little boy. He grew more and more tensed as he waited for an answer, following Mei around the room with his eyes.

"To save Lucy" answered the redhead, looking straight at him, following his reaction.

Ray froze. The girl's words brought back the memories of the past days that he kept buried inside as he tried to deal with Mei. He saw the bullet racing at him, he heard her scream and then he felt pain, he remembered how he was laying on the ground, with fire all around him, watching the girl as she was taken away from him while he could do nothing but watch. He finally understood what it was like to feel weak and incapable. The following moments were foggy and unclear, his mind balancing on the verge of death and life. Somewhere in that uncertain darkness he heard voices and then he felt he was lifted and carried away. The smell of the fire and the heat died out and the pain in his leg took over. Again seconds or maybe years passed until he heard a yell as he felt the ground under his back. Recognising the voice he made a great effort and opened his eyes and managed a few words and smiled, happy his master was alive. Everything after that was dark.

"Lucy..." he whispered with his eyes wide in shock. Her face was clear in his mind, her beautiful face distorted in a worried mask as she was taken away.

Erza smiled sadly, recognising the longing look on the boy's face with one that a certain dragon-slayer always had when he thought that Lucy was in danger.

"We have to save her! She is in great danger! The ritual ..!" but he was cut short by Erza

"We know. We'll be leaving as soon as possible. Everybody here knows and is coming. You can come too if you want. We'll explain the details to you too" Ray gave a short nod and followed them out the door.

But before he could turn around the corner and be gone, a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Wait"

Ray knew that voice too well. It was the voice of his childhood, a voice he tried to bury deep inside a long time ago. He turned around and looked at the little boy in front of him. He never heard him speak since he woke up and it pained him even more to hear that he had the right voice. Mei was looking straight at him, a determined mine he didn't have before playing in his eyes. Everybody stopped and looked at the two brothers, enchanted by their invisible connection.

"Explain" he said again while looking in Ray's green eyes. "Please..." he whispered only for the boy to hear.

Ray was torn between his feelings. Everything was against his reason. His brother should be dead. He killed him. Yet, a perfect replica was standing right in front of him, with the same looks and voice and habits.

"What?" he asked sharply. He held his regret back as he saw the little boy wince. He could see how the boy was becoming more and more aware of the people around them looking straight at him and his determination started to fade.

"Who am I..." he answered in a frigid voice, so slow Ray was sure he was the only one that heard.

For so many years Ray has been torn by his memories, by his choices and mistakes. The memory of his smaller brother haunted his dreams every single night, reminding him of what he had done. There wasn't day when he wouldn't think that he'd give anything he had for another day with his brother and yet there he was, with his wish in front of him, unable to say more than two words.

"Ray was fourteen when all of this happened. Mei five." Ray looked surprised at Scar who started talking. He didn't know he knew but he was grateful he did. He looked at Mei who was devouring every word the captain said "They were orphans, sons of one of the greatest pirate of all times that died leaving behind no more than a small sack of gold and a rusty small key. Every pirate heard about it and immediately launched in a journey to retrieve the key. I myself can say I've sent some men in order to find it. Ray's father was very wealthy and the fact that he left nothing to his kids but a key made everyone believe the key unlocked a great treasure. The boys were on the run for many months, barely managing to evade. But one night, their luck finally ran out. And they were captured by the worst kind of pirates there were. All I know from then on is that Ray was the only one that survived the explosion on the ship. I've found him floating on a piece of wood and took him in as a subordinate ever since then." After he finished, a dreadful silence fell upon them. Every pair of eyes in the corridor fell on Ray who was deliberately ignoring all of them and was looking down at his hands.

Laxus opened his mouth to complain and tell everyone something but he was interrupted by Ray's slow voice. The boy didn't raise his head as he spoke.

"Nobody knows exactly what happened on the ship. As captain said, I am the only survivor but I don't remember everything myself. The pirates caught both of us" he made a short sign towards Mei who looked at him with wide eyes "in the middle of the night while I was supposed to stay awake and watch over the two of us. But I fell asleep."He looked in pain as he admitted that "When we woke up I was on the ship, locked in a cellar. Mei wasn't" Mei flinched at the mention of his name. "For a whole week I was kept inside that cellar, all alone. Once a day I was brought food but no one would answer my only question. _Where was my brother? _I started to think that maybe they didn't catch him. That hope fuelled me. Every day after the food a man would come and ask me to tell him where the key was. I refused every time. That's when the whip was taken out" Ray was talking faster and faster, as if it was the first time in years when he finally said what happened. And it probably was. Scar tried to compose his face but it was hard. He knew Ray went through a lot but it was still hard to hear. "One day, after endless others, a man entered my cell and told me to tell him where the key was. I refused once again to tell him unless he'll tell me where my brother was. I prepared myself for the hit but it didn't come. He didn't answer but told me to follow him. I started to fear what I was about to see. In another cellar, close yet far from mine, was my brother waiting for me. But there was something different about him, something any human being would've noticed but my young scared mind didn't. He was laying on the floor, in a dark red puddle, a dark red puddle that perfectly matched the one in my own cell. I don't know if he was breathing or not. Everything I knew was that they tortured him, my little brother. The man that brought me there told me that if I'll give them the key, they'll let us live. I could survive a few more days, I was older. But Mei needed help right then. I told him that and he just laughed and told me to give him the key first. I didn't know where the key was. My father left it to Mei to whom he told to always keep it on him. I was sure that they searched Mei and that they obviously didn't find the key. I was scared and I had no idea what I should do. That's when the first shake came. The ship was under attack. Other pirates heard they captured us and came after the key. The man took me by the arm and dragged me away from my brother. On the deck there was chaos. Pirates fighting other pirates. The man left me all alone and jumped in the fight. I tried to return to my brother and take him out but I couldn't find the way back anymore. Another cannon made the ship shake. I was thrown in the water. All I remember before I blacked out was the explosion. All of the crew men from the attacker ship were on the other ship when it exploded. I was the only one that survived. You see, if I wouldn't have fallen asleep, the pirates wouldn't have caught us! If I would have gone down after Mei, maybe I could've brought him out with me. It is my fault! I killed my only brother!" He finished in a yell and looked down at his hands. He didn't want to say so much but he couldn't stop. After so many years of keeping it inside, he finally said it. He threw Mei a quick look but the boy wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the ground, his small fists were clenched. A cold sensation took Ray over as he watched his brother. Never for once did he expect that kind of reaction.

Everybody around them was silent. Even Laxus had his lips sealed, looking through the wall, lost in his own thoughts. For a few seconds, nobody moved or said anything. And then Mei broke the silence and started to speak

"I don't remember..." he whispered with a sad voice, thinking he couldn't please Ray. Everybody looked at him but the boy only raised his head and looked at Ray. Ray was looking back at his brother with badly hidden longing. Everybody waited for him to go on. "Everything is so foggy and unclear when I look back in the past. I remember small fragments... I don't understand...?" he continued to whisper looking at Ray. "I woke up five years ago on a shore, a few miles from Hargeon. I couldn't remember anything at that time. I just went on and lived, thinking that one day I'll find out…" he suddenly stopped and started searching in his pockets. He let out a childish laugh as he took out a long string at the end of which dangled a key. "I never knew what this was. I just now realised" he grinned happily towards Ray who looked back dumbfounded. Biska watched Mei in surprise. Never until then did she see him so careless and not at all timid.

"But how did you survive...?" Ray asked astonished "Why didn't they find the key if it was on you all the time?"

"I don't know... I think I told them I had it on me... but they couldn't find it so they thought I was lying..."

"I know what that is" Erza's voice came from behind them. She approached the little boy who smiled timidly. She smiled back and studied the key "That is a special key, even more special than Lu" but she stopped herself before mentioning Lucy's name. She felt it would only aggravate the situation "spirit keys. Back in the tower of Paradise there were many captive pirates. They always told us stories. They were all very hard to believe. One of them told us there is a key for immortality. The one that has it in its possession is almost perfectly invulnerable towards any kinds of death."

"Why ...almost?" asked Laxus who seemed very into the story, his eyes glistening. Erza gave him a disapproving look and answered him

"Because there is one way he can die and that is age. You see, the key is like a shield. No. More like a healing potion. You get beat up, you feel pain but then the key makes it disappear. The pirate that told me about this died a few days later from exhaustion and I never heard that story again. It may be completely false I don't know."

"It's not false. It's a very old pirate story, more of a legend. People talk about it but nobody ever saw it. That key may or may not be the key in the story. It is true it does fit" Scar added

"It still doesn't explain why the pirates couldn't find it!" Ray was getting angrier and angrier. He was clinging so tight to the idea that his brother was dead that it was hard now to accept what he thought was impossible. It annoyed him that they thought they found the answer when there were still small cracks left.

"If you would've let me finish..."Scar groaned towards Ray. "You see" he addressed everybody "the legend does say something about the key that could fit our last problem. But as it is just a legend, we don't know if it's real or not." The mages around sighted in defeat. "So we'll test it" Scar finished, gathering everybody's attention.

He walked towards Mei and stopped right in front of him. He got down on his knees so he could be on the same eye-level with the boy.

"Take the key and place it in your hand" he instructed the boy. Mei did as he was told and placed the key right on his bare skin. A second passed as everybody waited in tension and then the key disappeared, leaving behind a small mark that resembled the key. "Can you see the mark?" Scar asked the boy.

Ray puffed in annoyance.

"What mark?" Mei asked puzzled.

Scar smiled while everybody looked surprised towards the little boy's hand. "Can you still see the key?" he asked again

"Yes" came the boy's soft response.

"Now take it by the string and hold it up for us to see" Mei did as he was instructed and everyone gasped as the key appeared dangling in the air. Everybody smiled towards the little boy who looked at it with wide eyes. "Your father really was a great pirate" Scar winked at the smiling little boy

"The key may be the reason why he has those powers. He can make people forget things. But he can't do it on mages because we already have magic power that collides with the key's" Erza said smiling.

Gray let out a happy sight before he could restrain it. There was nothing magical about the kid after all. Erza gave him a disapproving glare that made him freeze immediately.

At the other end of the corridor, watching with teary eyes stood Ray. He quickly wiped his tears away and turned around, heading for the stairs.

"Come on, we have to save Lucy. We don't have time to waste!" he yelled as he started climbing up the stairs.

_This can't be happening. He can't really be alive. No. I killed him. He died in front of my eyes. He can't be alive. _

Something warm circled his chest. Something heavy pulled him back. Something he didn't dare to hug back started crying on his chest with little childish sobs. Ray just stood there, in the middle of the corridor, with his hands falling aimlessly around his body, with his long lost brother hugging him tight. He knew what he should be doing yet he didn't. He felt dirty while his brother was pure. He didn't want to spoil him.

Scar made everyone leave so the two brothers could be left alone. He knew it will be a hell of a time for Mei to get through the cold walls Ray built around him yet he had faith in the little kid.

* * *

Upstairs, the Fairy Tail mages were sitting down at the tables while Erza was recapping everything. Laxus was sitting next to her, a bored look playing on his face.

"Can we leave already?" he groaned towards her.

The sun started to rise above Magnolia, throwing long shadows inside the guild.

"Yes..."Erza sighted in defeat. People all around her got up and headed for the doors. They were to reach Galuna Island before nightfall so they could have an advantage over their enemies. Erza, Gray, Laxus and Gajeel were to enter right inside and recover Lucy, Natsu and Lisanna from deep within the temple. All the others will wait outside and fight. A small group with Erza as a leader was to leave first and gather information. As her team already did a mission on that island before, it would be better for her to be the one to talk with the villagers. The others would follow them close behind. It wasn't much of a plan but it was everything they had.

She sighted as she made her way outside as well. A hard battle was coming and she knew it. But she trusted Fairy Tail and the love they carried for their nakama. She knew they'd never give up on someone they cared for, no matter how hard the task.

* * *

When the drums, the sounds stopped, darkness took over. At first, she tried to fight it back, to chase away the shadows. She recalled all her happy memories and for a time it seemed to work. They stayed away. But the coldness didn't. It crept around her, surrounding her and striking. Soon, she was too numb from the cold to concentrate. And that's when Lucy gave up resistance.

Seconds, months or maybe years passed as she drifted alone through the darkness. She could feel the temptation coming from inside, trying to make her close her eyes for good. For countless times she was on the verge of doing it yet she somehow managed to resist it at the last second. There was still a tiny ray of warmth inside her that fuelled her, made her go on even when she wanted it to stop.

"Lucy" her heart started beating faster as she suddenly gained control over her body. She saw the shadows drifting away and she watched surprised as she started to emanate small rays of gold. The voice that called her was so familiar and warm. A voice she knew all too well. The voice of her childhood that she hasn't heard in years. She felt herself be dragged towards it, her rays of gold getting brighter and brighter.

And then she opened her eyes.

She gasped for breath as she suddenly got up. Her eye darted around as her heart was beating nervously. Everything she could see around her was blue. She could feel herself be slowly cradled and when her heartbeats and breaths finally lowered, she realised she was on a boat.

"Your are stronger than you look young Heartfilia" a voice besides her made her rise immediately but she fell back as she was tied to the topmast. Lucy looked around her, trying to hide her scared gaze. She was on the deck of a vast ship on which numerous men were moving from a place to another, yelling orders at each other. Somewhere in the back, she saw a group of people; all dressed in black robes, sitting still and silent. The sight of them made her realise who must be the one talking to her. She remembered the last time she met him and what he did. She hated him with her every fibre.

She slowly turned her head around, trying to keep her mind clear as all the memories of the past days invaded her. Besides her stood a man dressed in dark blue robes. His hood covered his face.

"You see" he continued to talk and Lucy could sense a smile in his words "I didn't think you'll wake up on your own. The nightmares I gave you are very special. They are fear itself, slowly devouring you. Your only weapon against them would be your happy memories which keep them at bay. But I perfected that" he seemed as if he was enjoying himself, bragging about his disastrous magic. Lucy watched him with badly hidden repulsion "Fear is only kept away by happy memories. But coldness isn't. Coldness is the invisible attacker that strikes when you least expect. And when you're cold, fear sucks out all your happy memories. You've put on quite a good resistance but in the end my nightmare won. And then you drift away through darkness until you finally close your eyes." Lucy shivered before she could stop it. That was more or less what happened and it was awful. "You were to wake up a few hours later. As I need you alive, you wouldn't have died if you would have closed your eyes. But then you woke up. Something I didn't plan and neither should have happened" his voice was curious and cold in the same time. He wanted to know how she did it yet he was angry she somehow beat him.

Lucy remembered the coldness and the darkness. But then the gold rays surrounded her and someone called her name, waking her up. But of course she won't tell him all of that. She didn't want to give him satisfaction. Knowing she knew something he didn't made her smile.

But then the smile froze on her lips as he saw the man taking off his hood. She was so surprised that he did that that it took her a few seconds to realise how young the man in front of her was. His dark blue eyes were staring right at Lucy. She quickly moved her gaze and looked down at her feet. He gave her a weird feeling that he could read her mind.

The man smiled all-knowingly when she moved her eyes away. He didn't put his hood back on as he started to pace around her. His eyes were now fixed in the distance. This gave Lucy some time to study him better. He didn't look more than a few years older than her. He looked very pale in comparison to his dark shade of red hair that fell on his forehead. Did everybody he surrounded himself with knew how young he was? She shivered at the thought of him being so powerful people would fear him to such a point his age wouldn't matter. But he had something sad about him, something that made Lucy wonder how this boy could be behind all her sorrow.

"You probably wonder why I tell you all of this" he smiled towards her. Lucy brutally turned her head around. _It is just a trap_. She kept repeating to herself. That man was bad. Yet he looked so pitiful. "Well, I feel like I can trust you." Lucy gritted her teeth. _Remember what he did to Natsu. To Lisanna. To Ray. _"But of course, it may be the fact that you'll soon be dead anyway." He said that so bluntly Lucy didn't have time to compose her face. She cursed herself for being so amazed by that fact. She knew long time ago they'll kill her yet she let herself be fooled by him.

He smiled seeing her so tensed. "My advisors are very boring. And we still have a few more hours to go. Maybe you are curious about why you specifically are needed for my plan"

Lucy held her breath. She was more than just curious. She craved for answers. She needed to know what her mother had to do with all of this, why Natsu was needed, what those gold clouds were. But again, she won't give in. She won't give him the satisfaction of being right.

But her opposition was gone unnoticed. He seemed as if he wanted to talk about all of this a long time ago. "There are numerous spirits as you surely know." She frowned. Of course she knew but why was he talking about it? "The twelve golden keys and many other not so powerful spirits. But there are more than just these. Legendary gold keys that are more powerful than the twelve combined. Spirits that nobody ever heard of. Spirits whose binding contract was more than just what you know of. Some of these spirits have special powers. But there is one key even above all of these. The most powerful and rare key there is. The key of the dragon. As far as I know, there were only two people along history who were able to conjure it. One of them was your mother." Lucy expected that but it still came as a shock. Her mother really was a great celestial spirit mage yet nobody really knew. Something warm inside her grew. "The other one was too many years ago for history to more than mention him. As I said before, the binding contract is different. This is where you and your fellow dragon-slayer come in." Lucy threw him a morbid glare which he completely ignored as he went on with his story. "One of the elementary pieces of the contract is the blood sacrifice. The blood of a dragon to be more exact. I almost gave up on this as we all know dragons disappeared a few years ago. But then I realised almost all of the dragons left behind something to resemble them. And those were..."

"Dragon-slayers..." Lucy whispered. She knew this already from Scar.

The boy continued anyway, as if he didn't even hear her. "Dragon-slayers. The dragon spirit key is made of dragon blood. And obviously, you need a celestial mage. Of course, I could've picked any celestial mage. But I chose you. At first it was just for my own satisfaction but then, as I studied you, I realised how far better than I expected my choice was. You see, because your mother opened the gate she was granted the power of the dragon spirit and thus, making her a spirit dragon slayer." Lucy's eyes were wide open. Her mother was a dragon slayer. She watched the boy as he continued to talk. He looked like a small kid bragging about his intelligence and ingenuity. Something which he was actually doing, his achievements only being a lot worse than some kids'.

Lucy looked around as he was speaking, trying to find a way out. She knew Natsu was somewhere on that ship too. But in order for her to find him, she had to first get out herself. Still, she wasn't trying as hard as she should have to escape. She wanted to know his plan. And that meant staying.

"And because she was your mother, you got some of that dragon-slayer magic too. Your gold clouds." And for the first time since he started talking, he turned to look at her. He smiled satisfied seeing the surprised look on her face. Lucy didn't know what to believe anymore. It was so confusing. She understood that he was telling her all of this because he considered her dead already yet why was he so calm? Why was he telling her everything in such a way that it made her feel as if they were friends. He seemed so normal and good that it was getting harder and harder for her to think this boy and the man who destroyed her life were the same person.

"This power of yours made me hesitate for a while. I didn't know if you were aware of it. But time was running low and it was now or never. Luckily, you weren't aware. As far as I could see, you were able to trigger it only when you were angry." Lucy was captivated without her will. She was annoyed with herself but she did nothing to change it. She knew everything was too confusing and strange. She knew she shouldn't trust him, that she shouldn't listen to him so intently. But she was curious. Curious beyond measure.

"We are heading for Galuna Island now." Lucy looked at him surprised. "For the key to be forged we need moon drip. Another task I at first thought was impossible to achieve. But after years of search, I found it" _years of search? How long has he been up to this? _

Lucy waited a few more moments for him to continue but he didn't. She still didn't understand why he was doing all of this. Conjuring the dragon spirit had, by far, more advantages for her than for him. So why was it?

Again she raised her head only to see him looking straight at her. She quickly moved her eyes away but she knew it was of no use. He already looked into her eyes.

"When the dragon appears, he is able to grant a wish. But not any wish. Only what you truly want. You deepest greatest desire. And he grants it only if you know it. You have one chance." Now Lucy understood. He did all of this for that wish. What did he crave for so much this was his only way?

She looked at him and saw him staring in the distance. But there was something different on his face now. It was convulsed, almost seeming mad. His fists were clenched in tight fists, so tight she could see how his fingers cut into his skin, letting small drops of blood fall. Any sign of beauty she thought he had was completely gone as she watched him turn around, with his face now a mask of fury.

He got up on his feet and paced around her, trying to calm down.

"I could've chosen any dragon-slayer at all. But the pleasure of taking the one you loved was too great. And so was taking you as a celestial mage. Your mother would have hated it!" He was now looking straight at her and even though she wanted to move away her eyes, she couldn't. There was something evil in his eyes; he looked mad; a large grin spreading on his face as he continued to talk.

"Your mother was on a mission when she found out about the dragon spirit. I was on that mission with her and the pirate and my father" Lucy's eyes widened in surprise. He was in the same guild as her mother? But he probably was just a small little boy when all of this happened. "She grew obsessed with this key. For so many years she tried to find the contract binding ritual. She never told anything to anybody. She worked on her own. I don't know how but she found out eventually. But she needed a dragon-slayer. Back then, there still were dragons but she wasn't stupid enough to go and ask one for something like that. She knew of the wish as well. What she didn't know was that the dragon-slayer didn't have to die. But she thought she was smart." he started to talk higher and higher, until he was now only screaming. She saw how painful everything was for him but his anger was worse "She thought she could kill him and then ask the dragon to revive him! And that's what she did. The dragon-slayer accepted without second thoughts. He would've done anything for your mother. So she killed him and completed the ritual. But when the dragon appeared and she told him her wish, he refused. That wasn't her greatest desire. She killed him! He trusted her! And she let him down in the worst possible way!"

He stopped again as he breathed heavily. Lucy looked right through him. His words were like daggers through her heart. They were staining her mother's memory.

"She didn't want that! She wanted to revive him! It's not her fault! She tried to bring him back but she couldn't. That wasn't her greatest desire but it was close! She. Tried!" she started to yell back at him before she could stop herself. She saw from the corner of her eyes the black figures approaching them quickly

The boy started laughing. It was a deep joyless laugh that had something maniacal to it.

"Do you think I care? Do you really think I care that she tried? It wasn't enough! He died for her yet the only thing she did was to _try!_ She killed him! Right in front of my eyes!" Lucy suddenly understood but it still came as a shock when he said it "She killed _my father _right in front of my eyes!"

She opened her mouth to say something, anything at all but she was silenced as she felt something hard hit her in the head. Right before she fell into darkness, she caught a glimpse of his angry face. His eyes were full of pain and hatred. Hatred toward her.


End file.
